Russell H. Heffley Photographs, 1924- ca. 1950s AIS.2009.05

Arrangement

Repository
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Title
Russell H. Heffley Photographs
Creator
Heffley, Russell H.
Collection Number
AIS.2009.05
Extent
648 items (10 boxes)
Date
1924- ca. 1950s
Abstract
The images in this collection represent the industrial history of Johnstown, Pa. Featured in this collection are interior and exterior mining views, advertising photographs for area businesses, and views of the people and the city of Johnstown at its peak as a steel town during the mid- twentieth century. Digital reproductions of the collection are available online.
Language
English .
Author
Renee Ziemann.
Publisher
ULS Archives & Special Collections
Address
University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections

Existence and Location of Copies

Digital reproductions of the collection are available electronically at http://historicpittsburgh.org/collection/russell-h-heffley-photographs.

Biography

Russell H. Heffley was born on Sept. 22, 1897 to Samuel A. and Sarah (Homer) Heffley in Johnstown, Pa. As a young man, Heffley was a self-employed photographer. During World War I, he enlisted in the Army Air Force serving as a first class sergeant in aviation. He was stationed at Kelly Field, Texas, and later at Payne Field, Mississippi. After returning home, Heffley became part of Morton and Heffley, a photography studio. He became the sole owner of the studio in 1924. He practiced as an independent commercial photographer, forming Russell H. Heffley Commercial Photography, located at 140 Market Street in Johnstown. In the mid-1950's, he formed the Heffley Studio Corp. Heffley was married to Catherine Seigh in 1920 and had six children, Russell H., Jr. and Dorothy C., Paul W., Kenneth S. Phyllis, and Joanne E. Over the course of Heffley's career his clients would include Swank Hardware Company and the Bethlehem Steel Company among many others.

Scope and Content Notes

The Russell H. Heffley Photographs consists of 648 images: 313 black and white negatives (6.5" x 8.5" and 8"x10"), 67 black and white prints (8"x10"), and two bound albums containing 268 black and white prints (8"x10"). All of the photographs were taken in or around Johnstown, Pa., and feature images of the downtown area during the industrial peak from the 1920s until the 1950s. These images include views documenting city terrain, street scenes, prominent buildings, churches, and several interior prints of the Johnstown High School featuring students at work. Also presented are images taken immediately after the Johnstown flood of 1936.

Also included are industrial images from several coal mines in Cambria and Somerset counties, photographs of automobiles from the 1920s, and images of unique billboard advertisements.

Arrangement

Series I. Negatives, 1927-1950s

Series II. Prints, 1927-1950s

Series III. Photograph Albums, 1926-1927

Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Ken Heffley in July 2009.

Previous Citation

Russell H. Heffley Photographs, 1926-1950s, AIS.2009.05, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh

Preferred Citation

Russell H. Heffley Photographs, 1926-1950s, AIS.2009.05, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Renee Ziemann in August 2009.

Copyright

The University of Pittsburgh holds all the rights to the material in this collection. For information about permission to reproduce or publish, please contact the Archives Service Center.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • Bethlehem Steel Company
    • Glosser Brothers Department Store

    Personal Names

    • Heffley, Russell H.

    Geographic Names

    • Johnstown (Cambria County, Pa.) -- History
    • Johnstown (Cambria County, Pa.) -- Pictorial works
    • Cambria County (Pa.)
    • Somerset County (Pa.)

    Genres

    • Photographs
    • Black-and-white negatives
    • Black-and-white prints (Photographs)
    • Photograph albums

    Other Subjects

    • Coal mines and mining -- Pennsylvania -- Cambria County
    • Coal mines and mining -- Pennsylvania -- Somerset County
    • Business and Industry
    • Billboards -- Pennsylvania -- Cambria County
    • Automobiles -- Pennsylvania -- Cambria County
    • Photographers

Container List