The Huntington Library houses approximately 500,000 prints and
negatives spanning the century from 1850 to 1950. This
superlative collection, which covers a variety of topics from
the American Civil War to the building of the transcontinental
railroad, from "Grand Tours" of Europe to modest family
photograph albums, is particularly strong in depicting the
history and development of the American West. Within this broad
regional focus are late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
images related to Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and the
territories of Alaska and Hawaii. Into the twentieth century
there is increased emphasis on collections depicting various
aspects of Southern California and Los Angeles. Subjects
represented within the regional framework include photography
generated by the nineteenth century great surveys of the
American West, commissioned by both railroad corporations and
the federal government; Native American tribes; National Parks
(notably Yosemite and Yellowstone); Transportation; M