Sound and Visual Collection
The photographers responsible for the content of this collection are C. J. Hibbard, Walter Norton, and Clifford E. Peel. C. J. Hibbard arrived in Minneapolis in 1885 and soon after pursued his interest in photography, first as a hobby and then as a profession. From 1899-1903 he was the botany photographer at the University of Minnesota; later he traveled to Cuba for business and to Harvard for assignment. His specialty, though, was commercial photography. He continued his business into the 1920s before he died in 1924 and the business passed to Sarah Hibbard.
Photographers Walter Norton and Clifford Peel had both worked for C. J. Hibbard for a number of years. After he died, they expressed interest purchasing his studio, but were unable to at the time. In 1925, they formed Norton & Peel, Inc. and continued working in commercial photography. Three years later they bought out the Hibbard Studio, including its 75,000 negatives and equipment. For a time, they referred to themselves as the Norton, Peel & Hibbard Studio, but eventually dropped the Hibbard name. Both firms were among the best in Minnesota and had a reputation for high quality images. During their time, Norton & Peel took over 300,000 photographs, mostly in the Twin Cities metro area. They sold the firm to Robert Morse in 1965.
In his early career, Peel studied photography at school, took aerial photographs with the Army Signal Corps in WWI, and worked for a portrait photographer in Bemidji. He moved to Minneapolis in 1920 and was hired by Hibbard. He died in 1987.
Norton had briefly worked for Hibbard before joining the service during WWI. After the war he continued his job at Hibbard's Studio. He died in 1968.
The bulk of the images are associated with Norton & Peel, but many were taken by C. J. Hibbard, the firm's predecessor. Hibbard's mark on the collection is his group of street scenes and building photos from Minneapolis. Norton and Peel's studio continued Hibbard's commercial focus and views represented are Twin Cities business exteriors, interiors, or products. To a lesser degree, views of landscapes, home exteriors, accident scenes (for insurance), and family events are included. The collection as a whole documents the visual history of Minneapolis.
View cameras were used most often to produce the images in this collection, and the negatives were eight by ten inches and were contact printed. This was due to the fact that much of Norton & Peel's work was reproduced and/or enlarged.
A client card file created by Norton & Peel is included with the collection. The card file keyed to the firm's negative numbering system. The cards identify the negative, date, and for whom the image was made.
A card file that serves as an index to addresses is also part of this collection, but it was created by the Minnesota Historical Society, not by Norton & Peel.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota
Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics should
Processed by: Nancy Devine, 2004 and Jennifer Huebscher, 2009.
Catalog ID number: 002947879
Client ledgers and cards are arranged numerically and in two series: the first series is comprised of Hibbard's negative numbers, the second series is comprised of Norton & Peel's negative numbers. Norton & Peel had started their numbering their negatives at 1,000. When they acquired Hibbard's Studio, they got a set of negatives numbered through about 75,000. At this point they chose to continue with Hibbard's numbering system rather than their own. Consequently some early cards will have the same number for different negatives, but have been filed separately to avoid confusion. Many of the images represented on the cards are not in possession of the Minnesota Historical Society or have been destroyed.
The lab book is a small binder that was originally Clifford Peel's instructions for aerial photography and map plotting during his missions in World War I. Other photo production instructions have been added as well.
The series of address cards was not created by Norton & Peel. Robert Hoag, a photographic volunteer of the Minnesota Historical Society, created an index of the images by address. The bulk are Minneapolis addresses with some St. Paul addresses and very few from Twin Cities suburbs.
These albums were put together by Norton & Peel, and most are arranged topically.
Miscellaneous views, primarily people modeling clothing and costumes, sports activities, grocery store interiors and people working in various office settings.
Views of various forms of transportation, including fire engines, automobiles, delivery trucks, taxis, buses and agricultural machinery. Album 134 is primarily automobiles.
Views of the North Shore of Minnesota along Lake Superior. Album 135 also includes views of Minneapolis.
Views of lakes, rivers and forests in northern Minnesota. Album 138 includes views of the Gunflint Trail and lakes along the border with Canada. Album 139 includes views of the St. Croix River, Mille Lacs Lake, Rum River and Lake Pepin, including views of people fishing and logging operations. Album 140 includes views of the North Shore, Lake Superior, Itasca State Park and Superior National Forest. Album 141 includes views of lakes along the border with Canada, Rainy Lake and North Shore.
Scenic views of winter in Minnesota. Album 142 is predominantly views from the North Shore and Lake Superior. Albums 143-144 include views of lakes and parks in Minneapolis, Minn.
Views of Minneapolis parks and scenic roadways, including Lake of the Isles, Lake Calhoun, Lake Harriet, Lake Nokomis, Loring Park, Cedar Lake, Glenwood Park. Album 145 also includes views of the North Shore and Lake Superior, Lake Pepin, Lake Minnetonka and Taylors Falls. Album 147 also includes views of Powderhorn Park, Minnehaha Falls and the Douglas Triangle. Album 148 also includes views of Minnehaha Falls and the Pioneers statue in front of the Minneapolis post office.
Views of public buildings and commercial buildings in Minneapolis, Minn. Album 149 also includes street scenes, views of the Hotel Del Otero at Spring Park and the John H. Stevens House in Minneapolis. Album 150 also includes views of Fort Snelling, the Ford Plant and dam and the Minneapolis airport. Album 151 also includes interior and exterior views of the Metropolitan Building, Minneapolis.
General views and street scenes of downtown Minneapolis. Album 153 also includes views of commercial buildings.
Images were printed by the Minnesota Historical Society from the collection of original negatives.
Views are mainly of building exteriors and interiors and manufactured products photographed for their business clients in Minneapolis, but also include St. Paul and Duluth. Their major clients included: Northern States Power, Dunwoody Institute, William Bros Manufacturing, Dayton's, Donaldson's, Butler Manufacturing Company, Northrup, King & Company, E.G. Staude Manufacturing Company, Minnesota Retail Hardware Association, Bemis Brothers Bag Company, Ford Motor Company, Carter-Mayhew Manufacturing Company, Automatic Control Company, and Strong-Scott Manufacturing Company. Collection also includes many views of Minneapolis, including general views of downtown, downtown and residential street scenes, churches, schools and clubhouses. Starting in the 1950s views include building development in the suburbs surrounding Minneapolis. Also includes scenic views of Minnesota's North Shore.