#PC86
Ca. 1927
Oblong Quarto album (18,3x28,2 cm). 32 album paper leaves (17 blank). With 44 original gelatin silver photographs, including 43 mounted ca. 11,3x7 cm (4 ½ x 2 ¾ in) and 1 loose ca. 13,2x7,8 cm (5 ¼ x 3 in). Most photos with white ink captions on the mounts. Some dated. Period black cloth album with blind-tooled generic title “Photographs” on the front cover; fastened with a string. Leaves fragile, several photos loose, but overall a very good album with strong, interesting photos.
Historically interesting private album with 44 original photos of California, including early views of Del Monte Training Camp in Monterey, taken and collected by First Sergeant Luke Wolters during the summer of 1927.
The Del Monte Training Camp, active in the 1920s, was a military-style facility where both military personnel and civilians underwent leadership and physical training to prepare for potential service. It offered training in military tactics, physical conditioning, and discipline, with barracks, training fields, and obstacle courses on its grounds. The camp was closed in the late 1920s due to its limited success in recruiting civilians.
The album features fifteen rare photographs of the compiler and thoroughly captioned images of fellow attendees at the training camp. Among those identified are “Capt. F. G. Stoner,” “1st Lt. W. P. Downard,” “Sgt. Leith,” and “Pvt. Greenly.” The soldiers are portrayed near their camps posing in military uniforms, performing drills, handling weapons, shaking hands, etc.
About ten photos taken after the two-week program at Del Monte, depict the compiler working for the U.S. Post Office in California. He is shown carrying mail, smoking, and posing by a postal car on early San Francisco streets. Several signs are visible in the background, including “Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus” and “Stationery.”
The other photos are mostly private portraits of the Wolters family, their friends, and neighbors enjoying leisure time in Oakland and Grass Valley.
Overall, historically interesting private album with 44 original photos of California, including early views of Del Monte Training Camp in Monterey.
