Peter Eric Palmquist, 1936-2003

I suspect many tears were shed on keyboards everywhere as people read their email about Peter Eric Palmquist's death on January 13, 2003. Peter died of severe head injuries after being struck in a crosswalk

A professional photographer for more than 50 years, Peter became interested in photographic history after an antique storeowner gave him old photographs taken by local photographers unknown to him. This fateful "fistful" of old photographs became Peter's passionate obsession. At his death, he had amassed more than 150,000 images, including many rare images from early western American photography and some 50,000 photographs documenting more than 100 years of history in Humboldt County, CA. Peter recently transferred his extensive collection of images and research materials to the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University.

For thirty years, Peter established new ways of pursuing the history of photography as an independent scholar who did not have institutional support or a Ph.D. Peter's primary photographic interests were in the American West-California before 1950-and the international history of women in photography, in collaboration with Suzanna Urminska, which he teasingly referred to as an "intergalactic study of women photographers before 1871." Recently Peter told me that the Women in Photography International Archive he founded "included more than 18,000 biographical files on female photographers; 2,000 books and 4,000 articles by and about women photographers; and approximately 8,300 vintage photographs taken by women, many of them produced during the 19th century."

Peter was a resourceful visual explorer and indefatigable writer whose intellect and spirit of inquiry brought to light countless forgotten photographers and images. His perseverance and dedication resulted in the publication of over 60 books and monographs and 340 articles. He wrote and lectured extensively on California photographer Carleton E. Watkins. In 2001, Peter and Thomas R. Kailbourn won the Denver Public Library's prestigious Caroline Bancroft Western History Prize for their book, Pioneer Photographers of the Far West: A Biographical Dictionary, 1840-1865; (Stanford University Press, 2000). Just before he died, Peter and Thomas had just completed the manuscript of the second volume of his Pioneer Photographers-a series that he hoped would eventually include the entire United States.

He curated numerous exhibitions and delivered hundreds of lectures on these subjects, and also served as a consultant for a myriad of museums and libraries including the Getty Museum, the Huntington Library, the Amon Carter Museum and the Bancroft Library. He was the founding editor of the Daguerreian Annual, past president of the National Stereoscopic Association and was a researcher on projects such as Ken Burns's television documentary, The West.

Peter Palmquist was respected throughout the photographic community as an energetic, generous and collaborative historian. Peter lived and breathed photographic history and gladly gave his knowledge to all who asked. This willingness to freely share information reflected Peter's prolific and unencumbered imagination and his deep devotion for researching topics previously considered inconsequential. By persistently maintaining a position of intellectual independence and following his innate understanding of how the telling of history is a constantly evolving process, Peter's collections and research notes at Yale will provide a substantial foundation for much future scholarship. As Tom Kailbourn said, "The work Peter started does not end here."

A public memorial service is planned for Peter on Saturday, March 22, 2003 between 1:00-4:00 p.m. at the Morris Graves Museum of Art in Eureka, CA.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the Peter Palmquist Memorial Fund for Historical Photographic Research.

The Peter E. Palmquist Memorial Fund for Historical Photographic Research has a double emphasis: the study of under-researched women photographers internationally (past and present) and Western American photographers before 1900. Awards will be made biannually to independent researchers based on their application/proposal.

In addition, grant recipients will be asked to provide the Palmquist Fund's advisory board with a copy of any published work that results from their grant. The Yale University Library has agreed to add that copy to its permanent collections to complement the resources of the Peter E. Palmquist Collection of Western American and Women's Photography at the Beinecke Rare Book S Manuscript Library.

The fund will be a combination endowment and expendable one. Obviously, all contributions are fully tax-deductible. The application process, due dates, etc. will be announced shortly. Donations can be sent to: Humboldt Area Foundation, PO Box 99, Bayside, CA 95524. Checks should be made payable to the Humboldt Area Foundation and indicate Peter Palmquist Memorial Fund in the lower left corner. Any questions, please call: Alexandra Reid, Director of Donor Services at 707-442-2993, x302;

Email is alexreid@hafoundation.

Pam Mendelsohn can be reached at:

pamwiltravel@Compuserve.com.