Special Collections: Photographs

How to Find Photographs

Only a tiny fraction of our 800,000 photographs are digitized. For the remaining processed photographs, descriptions are available online which range from item level to collection level. You may view the photographs in special collections.

What’s in the MdHS Photo Collections?

How do I find photos using the Internet?

How do I find photos in person at the library?

To order copies of photos, please contact MdHS’s Image Reproduction Department.

What's in the MdHS Photo Collections?

The MdHS Photograph Collections include several major components:

The Numbered Collections are nearly 200 numbered collections, the largest of which is PP30, the Hughes Studio Photograph Studio Collection.
The Subject Vertical File has approximately 17,000 photographs. They are not arranged by source, as in the Numbered Collections, nor are they assigned catalog numbers. They are arranged by subject in a hierarchy that is alphabetical, geographical, and chronological.
The Baltimore City Life Museum (BCLM) Collection begins in the late 1840s with particular strength in the first half of the twentieth century. Images date from 1849 to the 1980s. Included are daguerreotypes, paper prints, glass plate and film negatives, and slides (lantern and 35 mm). The collection is particularly strong in documentation of architecture and the Baltimore Harbor. c. 57,200 items are cataloged in an inventory database, of which c. 28,600 are available for research and searchable online.
The Portrait Vertical File has approximately 6,300 portraits of individuals or groups. They are arranged alphabetically, by last name, then first name.
The Cased Photographs include approximately 550 daguerreotypes, tintypes, and ambrotypes, most of which are portraits.

How to Find Photos Using the Internet

Please note that most are descriptions of photographs, since most of the collection is not digitized. Where digital copies exist, there are links from the web pages as appropriate.

A. General Online Images

Browse the 2,200 images of the Collections Cross-Section. Also check online images from the Numbered Photograph Collections, however, these are not as well-organized as the Collections Cross-Section.

B. Keyword Search

For images on a specific subject, one or two keywords (a name, a place, an activity) could narrow the search, Search Library Web Pages for keywords. This will search all online photograph finding aids, including the Numbered Photograph Collections, the Subject Vertical File, the Portrait Vertical File, the BCLM Collection, and the Cased Photographs.

Hints for using our web page search engine:

If you want to search for more than one word, you must connect the words with AND in capital letters; otherwise, it will give you every web page that has any of the words you want, not just those that have all the words you want.
If you want to do another search, always return to the page that lists the "Search Options" and make sure that "Search All Photograph Inventories, Guides, and Finding Aids" is checked. Otherwise, it will only search general library web pages, which is its default setting.

C. Subject Browse Search

If you are looking for images of a specific subject, but don’t know what keywords to use, you could:

Browse the finding aid for the Subject Vertical File
Browse the finding aids for Numbered Collections by

Browse the container list for the Hughes Studio Photograph Collection -if you are looking for Baltimore photographs, 1940-1955.

D. People Search

If you are looking for images of specific people by name,

The best thing is to Search Library Web Pages for the person's last name using the search engine.
Alternatively, browse

E. Place Search

If you are looking for images of a specific place, building, street, or geographic area:

The best thing is to Search Library Web Pages using the search engine. Try the building name, names of streets, neighborhoods, towns, cities, counties.
Alternatively, browse

The Collections Cross-Section for Baltimore or for different regions of Maryland
The Subject Vertical File for individual counties or towns
The Subject Index to the Numbered Photograph Collections for buildings, towns, or counties

How to Find Photographs in Person

A. BCLM Historical Photographs

These are oversize photographs of Baltimore, organized chronologically, from the Baltimore City Life Museum’s collection. They can be found in the filing cabinets on the north wall of the Vertical File Room.

B. Three-ring Binders

To provide easy access, photocopies of some of the most popular photos are found in binders,atop the filing cabinets on the north wall of the Vertical File Room. These images may be photocopied. The subjects of the binders are:

Baltimore, 1752-1899
Baltimore, 1900-1924
Baltimore, 1925-1945
Baltimore, 1946-1980
Baltimore Theaters/Rattling Through Baltimore: A Streetcar Tour
Historical Maryland and Baltimore Prints from the Hambleton Collection, Vols. I and II
Maryland African-American History
Maryland Views/Maryland Children/Famous Marylanders/Maryland Seasonal and Holiday Photographs
Maryland Photographers (Paul Henderson: African American Baltimore and A. Aubrey Bodine: Baltimore and Beyond)

Local History Subject File

This clippings file features newspaper and magazine articles about a wide variety of Maryland subjects, including geographical locations, buildings, institutions, organizations, businesses, events, and activities. The articles are organized alphabetically by subject and may be photocopied. Many of the articles include photographs. The quality of the photos is not good, but if you are just looking for information rather than reproductions, this could be very useful. The Subject File is located in the Vertical File room. There is a binder atop one of the cabinets which contains a list of the headings used in the Subject File.

D. Books

The library owns many books featuring excellent illustrations, many originals of which are in our collections. Among them are Bygone Baltimore, Maryland Time Exposure, Baltimore When She Was What She Used to Be, The Face of Maryland, and The Baltimore Book. Browse the shelves to find others. Check the picture credits; they will indicate if the picture is in the MdHS collection. (Items credited to the Baltimore City Life Museums or the Peale Museum are now the property of MdHS.) Books may be photocopied. Books are available in the main reading room. In addition to browsing the shelves, for books with illustrations, try adding "ill" as a keyword when a searching in the Online Catalog.

E. Maps and Prints

The library also has a large collection of maps and prints which have images.

F. Passano Historic Structures Index

Over the years, library staff members have created a large card index to buildings by location. The index often includes references to illustrations in books. The Passano index is located in the Family Chart Room in the library.


Events Library Museum Membership Education Publications About Giving
Library Visitor Information Collections Overview Library Catalog Programs and Services Search Library Web Pages Subject Guides Digital Resources Image Reproduction Donations and Support Research Links The Carroll Papers Finding Aides	Special Collections: Photographs How to Find Photographs Only a tiny fraction of our 800,000 photographs are digitized. For the remaining processed photographs, descriptions are available online which range from item level to collection level. You may view the photographs in special collections. What’s in the MdHS Photo Collections? How do I find photos using the Internet? How do I find photos in person at the library? To order copies of photos, please contact MdHS’s Image Reproduction Department. What's in the MdHS Photo Collections? The MdHS Photograph Collections include several major components: The Numbered Collections are nearly 200 numbered collections, the largest of which is PP30, the Hughes Studio Photograph Studio Collection. The Subject Vertical File has approximately 17,000 photographs. They are not arranged by source, as in the Numbered Collections, nor are they assigned catalog numbers. They are arranged by subject in a hierarchy that is alphabetical, geographical, and chronological. The Baltimore City Life Museum (BCLM) Collection begins in the late 1840s with particular strength in the first half of the twentieth century. Images date from 1849 to the 1980s. Included are daguerreotypes, paper prints, glass plate and film negatives, and slides (lantern and 35 mm). The collection is particularly strong in documentation of architecture and the Baltimore Harbor. c. 57,200 items are cataloged in an inventory database, of which c. 28,600 are available for research and searchable online. The Portrait Vertical File has approximately 6,300 portraits of individuals or groups. They are arranged alphabetically, by last name, then first name. The Cased Photographs include approximately 550 daguerreotypes, tintypes, and ambrotypes, most of which are portraits. How to Find Photos Using the Internet Please note that most are descriptions of photographs, since most of the collection is not digitized. Where digital copies exist, there are links from the web pages as appropriate. A. General Online Images Browse the 2,200 images of the Collections Cross-Section. Also check online images from the Numbered Photograph Collections, however, these are not as well-organized as the Collections Cross-Section. B. Keyword Search For images on a specific subject, one or two keywords (a name, a place, an activity) could narrow the search, Search Library Web Pages for keywords. This will search all online photograph finding aids, including the Numbered Photograph Collections, the Subject Vertical File, the Portrait Vertical File, the BCLM Collection, and the Cased Photographs. Hints for using our web page search engine: If you want to search for more than one word, you must connect the words with AND in capital letters; otherwise, it will give you every web page that has any of the words you want, not just those that have all the words you want. If you want to do another search, always return to the page that lists the "Search Options" and make sure that "Search All Photograph Inventories, Guides, and Finding Aids" is checked. Otherwise, it will only search general library web pages, which is its default setting. C. Subject Browse Search If you are looking for images of a specific subject, but don’t know what keywords to use, you could: Browse the finding aid for the Subject Vertical File Browse the finding aids for Numbered Collections by Subject Collection Title Collection Number Browse the container list for the Hughes Studio Photograph Collection -if you are looking for Baltimore photographs, 1940-1955. D. People Search If you are looking for images of specific people by name, The best thing is to Search Library Web Pages for the person's last name using the search engine. Alternatively, browse The Portrait Vertical File The Cased Photographs E. Place Search If you are looking for images of a specific place, building, street, or geographic area: The best thing is to Search Library Web Pages using the search engine. Try the building name, names of streets, neighborhoods, towns, cities, counties. Alternatively, browse The Collections Cross-Section for Baltimore or for different regions of Maryland The Subject Vertical File for individual counties or towns The Subject Index to the Numbered Photograph Collections for buildings, towns, or counties How to Find Photographs in Person A. BCLM Historical Photographs These are oversize photographs of Baltimore, organized chronologically, from the Baltimore City Life Museum’s collection. They can be found in the filing cabinets on the north wall of the Vertical File Room. B. Three-ring Binders To provide easy access, photocopies of some of the most popular photos are found in binders,atop the filing cabinets on the north wall of the Vertical File Room. These images may be photocopied. The subjects of the binders are: Baltimore, 1752-1899 Baltimore, 1900-1924 Baltimore, 1925-1945 Baltimore, 1946-1980 Baltimore Theaters/Rattling Through Baltimore: A Streetcar Tour Historical Maryland and Baltimore Prints from the Hambleton Collection, Vols. I and II Maryland African-American History Maryland Views/Maryland Children/Famous Marylanders/Maryland Seasonal and Holiday Photographs Maryland Photographers (Paul Henderson: African American Baltimore and A. Aubrey Bodine: Baltimore and Beyond) Local History Subject File This clippings file features newspaper and magazine articles about a wide variety of Maryland subjects, including geographical locations, buildings, institutions, organizations, businesses, events, and activities. The articles are organized alphabetically by subject and may be photocopied. Many of the articles include photographs. The quality of the photos is not good, but if you are just looking for information rather than reproductions, this could be very useful. The Subject File is located in the Vertical File room. There is a binder atop one of the cabinets which contains a list of the headings used in the Subject File. D. Books The library owns many books featuring excellent illustrations, many originals of which are in our collections. Among them are Bygone Baltimore, Maryland Time Exposure, Baltimore When She Was What She Used to Be, The Face of Maryland, and The Baltimore Book. Browse the shelves to find others. Check the picture credits; they will indicate if the picture is in the MdHS collection. (Items credited to the Baltimore City Life Museums or the Peale Museum are now the property of MdHS.) Books may be photocopied. Books are available in the main reading room. In addition to browsing the shelves, for books with illustrations, try adding "ill" as a keyword when a searching in the Online Catalog. E. Maps and Prints The library also has a large collection of maps and prints which have images. F. Passano Historic Structures Index Over the years, library staff members have created a large card index to buildings by location. The index often includes references to illustrations in books. The Passano index is located in the Family Chart Room in the library.

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