Guide to the Marie Scott Alaska Photo Album Collection (1940s)

Marie T. Scott (born 1903- died 1976)

Marie T. Scott was born in Los Angeles, California. In 1935 she graduated with a B.E. Degree from the University of Los Angeles. After graduation she attended several Universities to complete graduate studies. These included: Columbia University, Loyola University, Immaculate Heart College, and University of Hawaii. Her studies led to teaching high school at Carver Junior High School and Alexander Hamilton High School. Eventually returned to Los Angles where she became Chair of the Art Department at Los Angeles Valley College. Over her lifetime, Marie studied various mediums of art, including watercolor and photography. She was a student at Imogene Cunningham’s and often told stories about her recollections of studying with artist Andre Lhote , a Cubist-style painter and sculptor who rose to prominence in Paris after World War I and into the 1920’s (“Andre Lhote”, Wikipedia, pub. 7/2/2015 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Lhote). Marie exhibited her work at several county fairs including the California State Fair, Los Angeles County Fair, and with the Southern California Watercolor Society, and in galleries in San Francisco, and at the Third Street Gallery. She won several awards for her watercolors including First Prize at the Ebell Club and Second Prize during the Exhibit of Southern California Watercolor Society. Forty photographs taken of California Missions by Marie are in this Collection. It is believed she took these photos in the 1940’s (biographical info. from: S.C. County Historical Museum donor file, and letter from Janet Carter 7/14/1976).

SERIES I. ALASKA PHOTO ALBUM (1940s)

One (1) Album

Series Scope and Content Summary:

This series consists of one (1) approx. 16×13” photo album bound in reddish brown leather with a border of gold scrollwork around the sides and a snakeskin pattern. Inside the leather binding are approx. forty (40) spiral bound pages. The first page is printed with the words “A Lass…A Lad…Alaska July-August 1945” and includes an illustration a woman, man and llama or donkey. Inside are photos or prints of photos taken by Marie Scott on a trip to Skagway, Alaska and other areas of Alaska and British, Columbia during a trip up the coastline in that area. These approx. 11×10” and 4×7” photos are in very good condition and accompanied by captions such as “She went to Alaska to sketch in watercolors” and “on an advertising assignment to Alaska went he”, and “The Kirmse Curio Shop-Skagway. Alaska”. Also inside is a delightful map of Alaska that may be hand-drawn. From the map, it appears that Marie travelled from Seattle through Vancouver, British Columbia up to Skagway, Alaska; Juneau, Alaska and other places which she plotted on the map. In the album are photos of sightseers; Red Falls in Skagway, Skagway City Hall, Mt. Benson; Pitch Fork Falls, Lake Bennett and a c.1900 Presbyterian Church; Whitehorse, Yukon; Canadian mounted police; ships, and other scenes of life in Alaska such as fishing, logging and more. There is also a photo of an Indian burial ground, and an Indian camp along the Yukon, two photos of Marie Scott herself and more. The album and photos are in good condition.

Location
Box 1