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This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the FAQ section for more information.
African American man with horse drawn wagon standing next to Old Well on UNC campus, May 1, 1902, 3:20 pm; P0013/0269, in the Collier Cobb Photographic Collection (P0013), North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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Collection Overview
| Size | 7 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 500 items) |
| Abstract | Collier Cobb (1862-1934) was chair of the Geology Department at the University of North Carolina, 1893-1934. His photography stemmed from his work in geology and other sciences, and he traveled extensively and used photography to document his interests. In the 1890s, Cobb built a darkroom in his Chapel Hill home, where he developed negatives and printed prints. The collection consists of photographs made by Collier Cobb in a variety of settings, including Chapel Hill and other North Carolina locations; the University of North Carolina; and Alaska, Canada, and Siberia. The collection is composed largely of glass plates (slides and negatives), as well as some photographic prints. Topics include buildings, grounds, faculty, staff, students, events, and African Americans at the University of North Carolina; residences and churches in Chapel Hill, N.C.; logging in western North Carolina; North Carolina schools in Bertie, Columbus, Craven, Durham, Forsyth, Gaston, Guilford, Harnett, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Onslow, Robeson, Sampson, and Wake counties; and Eskimos and Eskimo life. |
| Creator | Cobb, Collier, b. 1862. |
| Language | English |
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Information For Users
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Subject Headings
The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
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Related Collections
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Biographical
Information
Collier Cobb (1862-1934), the son of Needham Bryan Cobb and Martha Louisa Cobb, was born in Wayne County, N.C., on 21 March 1862. He taught school intermittently in North Carolina, then attended Harvard University where he received a B.A. degree in geology in 1889 and an M.A. in 1894. Cobb taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and at Boston University. In 1892, he became instructor of geology at the University of North Carolina. The following year, he became chair of the newly established Department of Geology and served in that post until 1934, the year of his death.
Cobb's photography stemmed from his work in geology and other sciences, and he traveled extensively and used photography to document his interests. In the 1890s, Cobb built a darkroom in his Chapel Hill home, where he developed negatives and printed prints.
For more information about the Cobb family, see the Cobb family papers, 1814-1975 (held by the Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Collection #4008), Cobb and the Cobbs by Lucy Maria Cobb or The Battle Book by Herbert B. Battle.
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Scope and Content
The collection consists of photographs made by Collier Cobb in a variety of settings, including Chapel Hill and other North Carolina locations; the University of North Carolina; and Alaska, Canada, and Siberia. Topics include buildings, grounds, faculty, staff, students, events and African Americans at the University of North Carolina; residences and churches in Chapel Hill, N.C.; logging in western North Carolina; North Carolina schools in Bertie, Columbus, Craven, Durham, Forsyth, Gaston, Guilford, Harnett, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Onslow, Robeson, Sampson, and Wake counties; and Eskimos and Eskimo life. The collection is composed largely of glass plates (slides and negatives), as well as some photographic prints.
Cobb sometimes recorded precise technical information on negative sleeves (which have been retained in Print Box 2), including the date and time of day photographs were taken along with negative exposure times and aperture settings on his camera. The North Carolina Collection also has two cameras owned by Cobb.
Physical organization of the collection is as follows:
Additional photographs by and of Collier Cobb can be found in the Cobb family papers, 1814-1975, held by the Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, (Collection #4008).
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Series Quick Links
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Series 1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, circa
1890s-1920s.
Arrangement: Alphabetical.
This series of photographs were taken at the University of North Carolina, circa 1890s-1920s, and is organized into two subseries: People and Events (including alumni, faculty, staff, and students); and Buildings and Grounds. Some of the UNC lantern slides bear the mark of another photographer (name illegible), based in either New York or Kentucky.
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Subseries 1.1. People and Events, circa
1890s-1920s
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Subseries 1.2. Buildings and Grounds, circa
1890s-1920s
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Series 2. North Carolina Places, circa 1890s-1920s.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by county.
Photographs in this series were taken in various locations around North Carolina, circa 1980s-1920s. Subjects include churches, residences, logging camps, and schools across the state.
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Series 3. Non-North Carolina Places, circa 1890s-1920s.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by location.
Photographs in this series focus on Eskimos and Eskimo life in several locations, including Alaska, Canada, and Siberia.
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Series 4. Portraits, circa
1890s-1920s.
Arrangement: Alphabetical by last name.
This series is made up of original photographic portraits as well as some photographs of painted portraits.
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Series 5. Subjects, various, circa 1890s-1920s.
Arrangement: By subject.
This series consists of photographs taken at unidentified locations, and includes teachers, a play, a rally/parade, and Williams Chapel (location unknown).
Processed by: North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives, 1997, 2010
Encoded by: Patrick Cullom, 27 April 2010; Natalie Moix, December 2010
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