National Museum of the American Indian

E.L. Doran Expedition photographs from California

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAI.AC.170
Creators:
Doran, Edmond Leonard
Dates:
1898-1901
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
11 Photographic prints
1 Copy negative
Repository:
This collection contains photographic prints and copy negatives depicting E.L. Doran's amateur archaeological excavations on California's Channel Islands, including Santa Catalina, San Clemente, and San Nicolas. The photographs were taken in approximately 1898-1901.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This collection contains 11 photographic prints and 1 copy negative documenting E.L. Doran's archaeological expeditions to the Channel Islands. The photographer is unknown. The photographs were most likely taken between 1898 and 1901, which is when Doran was reportedly making expeditions to these islands. The photographs of San Clemente Island were most likely taken between 1989-1900, the photographs of San Nicolas were most likely taken between 1900-1901, and the photographs of Santa Catalina were most likely taken between 1898-1901.
The photographs in this collection depict a variety of subjects including Doran's archaeological excavations, expedition camps, and landscapes of the islands and ocean. The excavation photographs depict both the excavators and recovered archaeological materials. The restricted images depict human skeletal remains.
Photographic prints include P00536, P02482-P02491. Copy negatives include N34392.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Edmond Leonard Doran (1864-1915) was an amateur archaeologist and collector whose work focused on the California Channel Islands. Born in Canada, Doran moved to California in 1883 and subsequently established an oil company in Pasadena. He then moved to Avalon, Santa Catalina with his wife, Susannah G. Meek (1864-1932), and two daughters. Between 1898 and 1901, Doran carried out several expeditions to the California Channel Islands, including San Clemente and San Nicolas, to collect artifacts and excavate archaeological sites. In 1912, he was unanimously elected president of the Freeholders Improvement Association of Avalon. Doran passed away in Los Angeles, California in March of 1915.

Administration

Author
Mikaela Hamilton
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Photographs received alongside archaeological material from the E. L. Doran in 1918.
Processing Information
Collection record written by Mikaela Hamilton, Archives Center Intern in 2020.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Access to NMAI Archives Center collections is by appointment only, Monday - Friday, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm. Please contact the archives to make an appointment (phone: 301-238-1400, email: nmaiarchives@si.edu).
P00536 (with corresponding copy negative N34392) and P02487 are restricted due to cultural sensitivity.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center. Please submit a written request to nmaiphotos@si.edu. For personal or classroom use, users are invited to download, print, photocopy, and distribute the images that are available online without prior written permission, provided that the files are not modified in any way, the Smithsonian Institution copyright notice (where applicable) is included, and the source of the image is identified as the National Museum of the American Indian. For more information please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use and NMAI Archive Center's Digital Image request website.
Preferred Citation
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); E.L. Doran expedition photographs from California, image #, NMAI.AC.170; National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center, Smithsonian Institution.

Related Materials
The Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation purchased these photographs alongside Doran's archaeological materials from California. These archaeological objects have catalog numbers 07/6000 – 07/7091, 24/4720 and can be found in NMAI's archaeological collections.

National Museum of the American Indian
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