F Jay Haynes Yellowstone Park Hand Colored Photographs

While Wallace Nutting was busy photographing the				company under their direct control.
relatively tame back roads of New England, F. Jay				Partly due to the closing of his transportation
Haynes (1853-1921) was just as busy				business, and partly due to his age, Haynes retired
photographing the considerably less-tamed				in 1916, turning control of the photography
Western American Frontier. With a photographic				business to his son...Jack Ellis Haynes. F Jay Haynes
career beginning in the mid-1870's, the Haynes				died in 1921.
photographic tradition was passed along to his				Although Jack Ellis Haynes continued to sell
son, Jack Ellis Haynes, who continued the Haynes				hand-colored photographs made from his father's
family photography business until the 1950's. Both				negatives, most of his work consisted of
father and son probably contributed more to				machined-produced prints of his father's works,
popularizing Yellowstone National Park than anyone				including postcards, travel brochures, Yellowstone
else and the results of their work is being actively				Travel Books, etc. The pictures of Jack Ellis
collected today by a growing number of				Haynes are generally not as collectible as those of
collectors.				his father. Jack ran the family business until the
Born in Saline, Michigan, Frank Jay Haynes began				1950's. He had hoped that his daughter would
his photographic career around 1874 in Michigan				become the 3rd generation to carry on the
and Wisconsin, In 1876 he opened his own studio				family's Yellowstone Park business but his only
in Moorhead, Minnesota and in 1879, when it				child, Lida Haynes, died in an automobile accident in
became obvious that Fargo, North Dakota was				1952 at the age of 20. Jack Ellis Haynes died in
becoming a major city, the 26-year old Haynes				1964.
shifted his main studio there. His earliest				The volume of Haynes work was tremendous. In
photographic commissions were primarily portrait				addition to 2,400 Stereoviews, Haynes produced
views. This portion of his business proved to be				thousands of Cabinet Cards, thousands of
an immediate success and at the height of his				individual and family portraits, and tens of
early career he had two employees in his Fargo				thousands of hand-colored photographs. Today
establishment whose sole job was making				more than 24,000 glass and film negatives from
portraits.				the Haynes Collection reside at the Montana
Up to the 1870's the Railroads usually employed				Historical Society. These include Haynes pictures
skilled artists who painted or sketched the				from Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota,
spectacular western views in order to glamorize				Montana, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, many of his
the scenery offered by their respective railway				Northern Pacific Railroad pictures, and of course,
routes. Wet plate photography was the standard				his Yellowstone Park images.
photographic process at this time. This typically				What types of Haynes Memorabilia are being
involved a bulky camera, heavy glass plate				collected today? Probably a lot more than you
negatives, and portable darkrooms necessary for				would think.
developing sensitized negatives almost				Views of Yellowstone Park: Probably the Holy Grail
immediately upon their initial photographic				of F Jay Haynes collecting is a presentation
exposure and the difficulty of utilizing this process				portfolio of early Yellowstone pictures titled
in the harsh western U.S. environments should be				"Views of Yellowstone Park". Henry Vihlein
apparent.				(1844-1922), a nephew of Joseph Schlitz (founder
Haynes career took a major turn in the late				& owner of Milwaukee's Schlitz Brewery)
1870's when the Northern Pacific Railroad hired				commissioned Haynes to take a series of 12
him to become their "Official Photographer". In				Yellowstone hand painted pictures which were
addition to a fair salary, Haynes was given a				then bound in a high quality leather-bound book
rebuilt Pullman railroad car that became his				and given to a very limited number of his friends
personal rolling photographic studio. His job was to				and associates. We have only personally seen one
thoroughly photograph the railroad's facilities such				of these complete books and they are considered
as stations, bridges, rail yards, rolling cars and				extremely rare and desirable among Haynes
stock, and company buildings. Haynes also				collectors.
photographed the beautiful countryside wherever				Photographs and Stereocards: Haynes Cabinet
the railroad's tracks went...horses, wild animals,				Cards, Carte-de-Visites, Portraits, and Stereo
stagecoaches, military forts, trading posts, Indians,				Cards are highly sought-after by photography
tepees, river boats, etc. The Northern Pacific then				collectors. Subject matter and condition will
used Haynes' photographs in their advertising and				generally determine value.
travel brochures, hoping to attract more				Hand-Colored Photographs: Haynes hand tinted
commercial and passenger business for the				photographs are highly sought-after by collectors
railroad.				of early 20th c. hand-colored photography. Pretty
Haynes also promoted his personal photography				much the only hand-colored Haynes views that
business while traveling on railroad business.				you will find are from Yellowstone Park and
Recognizing the need for a professional				usually include Old Faithful, other geysers, Animals,
photographer among the increasing volume of				Great Falls, Lower Falls, and other magnificent
settlers moving west, Haynes would advertise in				views throughout the park. These pictures were
local papers along the Northern Pacific route that				hand colored in oils in the Haynes Studio and
the Haynes Palace Studio Car would be in town				typically sold to Yellowstone visitors and tourists,
on a particular day and that his photographic				with some being much rarer than others.
services would be available in towns having no				The most desirable are Haynes earliest
permanent professional photographer. This				hand-colored albumen prints which are often
advanced notice enabled families to travel to town				unsigned or unmarked in any way. Those earlier
in the family wagon, dressed in their Sunday best,				hand-colored pictures issued by F Jay Haynes
for the annual family photogravure. Businesses,				himself are generally more desirable than those
merchants, and anyone needing photographic				later pictures issued by his son.
services could take advantage of his availability.				More often than not Haynes pictures were
Haynes would then perform his developing and				impressed with the "Haynes" name rather than
processing right there in his rolling studio car,				signed in pencil or pen. Usually "Haynes,
thereby earning both private commissions and				Yellowstone Park" or "Haynes Studio, St Paul" will
railroad pay. Haynes traveled through the				be impressed in small letters, either into the image
Dakotas, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and				itself, or into the matting. Usually no more than
Washington for the Northern Pacific and to				30+ commercial Yellowstone titled were sold, yet
Yellowstone in the 1882-1883, taking a large				these came in a multitude of sizes (2.5x5" to
number of views wherever he went.				24x36") and in several different formats (matted
He continued to operate the Haynes Studio				& close-framed; rectangular & round
railroad car gallery from 1885-1905. He moved his				frames; etc). Round frames and larger sizes are
studio to St. Paul, Minnesota in 1889 and traveled				fairly unusual.
throughout the West and Alaska earning the				Books: Although not an author himself several
reputation as one of the West's finest early				books have been written about F Jay Haynes
photographers.				including "Following the Frontier" (Freeman Tilden)
F Jay Haynes also covered many special events				and "F Jay Haynes, Photographer" (Montana
during his career. For example, in 1883 President				Historical Society). Each of these books include
Chester A. Arthur, along with a party that included				significant Haynes biographical information and
a Lt. General, the Secretary of War, and a US				reproductions of many of his photographs.
Senator, traveled by horse back touring Ft.				Yellowstone Park Guides: The Haynes Guide was
Washakie, The Tetons, and Yellowstone Park.				published and updated nearly every year between
With fresh horses pre-positioned every 20 miles				1890-1966. These were widely regarded as the
to provide the traveling party with communication				best Yellowstone Guidebooks in print and included
with the outside world, F Jay Haynes traveled				facts and trivia about Yellowstone Park along with,
along with that party as its official photographer				of course, many Haynes Yellowstone pictures.
Because of his familiarity with the photographic				Most Haynes' Guides were from the later Jack Ellis
requirements needed to popularize a railroad				Haynes years.
Haynes was also hired by the Canadian Pacific				Machine-Produced Prints: As time and technology
Railroad in 1881 as their first official photographer				progressed, Haynes' hand-colored pictures were
as well. While working for the Canadian Pacific				replaced by less expensive machine-produced
Haynes utilized a stereo camera and sold stereo				color litho prints. These prints were sold both
cards glamorizing the Canadian Pacific route and				individually and in packaged portfolios.
was rewarded with a free unlimited-use railway				Machine-produced prints are from the later Jack
pass in honor of his services.				Ellis Haynes years and are not nearly as collectible
But it was the beauty of Yellowstone Park that				as Haynes' hand-colored pictures.
would capture most of Haynes' life. Haynes work				Postcards, Postcard Folders & Photo Packs:
at Yellowstone began in the early 1880's and in				Haynes Yellowstone pictures were widely sold
1884 he became Yellowstone's first Official				through various individual postcards, souvenir
Photographer. Yellowstone was the first National				postcard folders, and smaller photo packs. These
Park ever designated by the Federal Government				were sold both by Haynes and through other
and F Jay Haynes obtained the first				Yellowstone vendors. Most were from the later
federally-issued license to operate a photographic				Jack Ellis Haynes years.
concession in Yellowstone at Mammoth Hot				Yellowstone Souvenir Booklets: Over the years
Springs. Haynes opened The Log Cabin Studio,				the Haynes Studio either issued their own
which served Yellowstone for many years selling				souvenir photo albums, or had some of their
photos to visiting tourists.				Haynes Yellowstone pictures appear in
Photography wasn't Haynes only business venture				Yellowstone photo albums and booklets issued by
at Yellowstone. The Northern Pacific used Haynes				others. We have seen at least six such albums
photography to lure tourists to visit Yellowstone				and most likely there are many others. Most of
and the Western U.S. but, once they arrived,				these were from the later Jack Ellis Haynes years.
someone had to transport them from the railroad				Miscellaneous Yellowstone Memorabilia: We have
station to their lodgings and throughout				also seen other non-Haynes items sold with the
Yellowstone Park. Again enter F Jay Haynes. His				"Haynes" name attached. For example we have
short-lived Yellowstone National Park				seen an "Old Faithful" etching that carried both the
Transportation Company was later replaced by				original artist's name alongside the "Haynes" name.
the Monida and Yellowstone Stage Line which				We have seen an R Atkinson Fox Yellowstone
became the principal carrier of passengers				print that carried both the "Fox" name on the
entering through Yellowstone's western park				print and the "Haynes" name impressed into the
entrance. At its peak Haynes' stage line had 18				matting. We have seen governmental Yellowstone
stagecoaches and surreys and was responsible				publications that featured Haynes pictures. And
for transporting nearly 40% of all of				we have even seen a hand-colored framed
Yellowstone's annual visitors. However in 1916				window glass designed to attract sunlight through
control of the newly founded national park was				Old Faithful.
turned over to the National Park Service which				So, the next time you hear the name "F Jay
terminated Haynes transportation contract and				Haynes", Yellowstone Park and Western US
replaced it with a motorized transportation				should immediately come to mind.

DAN

F Jay Haynes Yellowstone Park Hand Colored Photographs