Kuzano

Carleton Watkins, a famed environmental/landscape Photo Artist (Wet Plate) who shot up the NW and West Coast, lost all his work in the 1906 SF EarthQuake and Fire. He spent much time in the Columbia Gorge. He did most of his work during the 1800's to early 1900's.

The Oregon Public Broadcasting site has a long video, much of which covered Carletons time in the Gorge. The video covers much more of the Columbia Gorge history, but I was most caught up in the Watkins story.

Here is the Video on the OPB.com site:

http://www.opb.org/television/programs/oregonexperience/segment/the-river-they-saw/

This is a GREAT video, covering the 1800 Turn of the Century, Portland Oregon Photo Society and many members, and mostly relative to the Columbia Gorge.

And here is the wikipedia page on Carleton Watkins:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carleton_Watkins

And the Carleton Watkins.org site:

https://www.carletonwatkins.org/

Carleton and Ansel's times in SF overlapped. Ansel broke his nose in the 1906 Earth Quake and Fire, while Carleton lost his studio, warehouse and all his work, including all his wet plate work of the Columbia.

A few years later Carleton was declared incompentent and directed to his sister for caretaking. She then placed him in the Napa Home for the Mentally Insane. He died in 1916.

This connection on the 1906 SF EarthQuake and Fire made me wonder how well Ansel and Carleton Watkins may have known each other

jethro779 Loc: Tucson, AZ

It was his daughter that was named his guardian. I wonder if the losing of his photographic works twice in his lifetime contributed to his mental state? I also wonder why he was institutionalized in an asylum for the criminally insane?

Kuzano

daughter? right... my mistake. Had those same thoughts myself. I found fascinating the clips of his Dark Tent for preparing "wet plates" along the banks of the Columbia River.

Another interesting portion of the video were the two Portland Socialites who plied a riverboat up and down the Columbia. It was equipped with a dark room and each of the ladies had certain subjects they photographed of life on the Columbia. One specialised in the tribes along the Gorge.

catchlight.. Loc: Wisconsin USA- Halden Norway

Great video in the Columbia river photographers...sad when the work of Carleton Watkins is lost in the earth quake. Thanks for sharing!

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

He was 22 years old when the Civil War broke out. The time when war photography was rising in the USA. People began getting their pictures taken.

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

He had lost his eyesight and was in failing health. It sounds like his wife and daughter couldn't or decided not to care for him any longer at some point. His daughter did care for him for a year before having him committed. Once he lost his livlihood the family was destitute. Placing him in the asylum would have been free. He would have been 80 or 81 when committed. He was buried in an unmarked grave at the asylum after being there for 6 years. I don't believe the whole asylum was for the criminally insane only. They would have (and probably still do) had certain secure areas for those delared criminally insane.

catchlight.. Loc: Wisconsin USA- Halden Norway

Sad ending and a huge loss for everyone. Amazing story...