This is the first photo I have ever seen of so called area Native Americans where they look like this. This, to me, looks more like some of the eastern half of the country. Don'[t get me wrong, I am NOT disputing this at all. It could very well be a photo that was just set up this way.

Benjamin Clayton Markham left Illinois and went up into north western Washington where he worked in logging camps. He eventually went into a little photography business with his brother. They worked together for some time and eventually split up. Benjamin worked here and there in the photography industry and finally ended up in The Dalles where he opened up a studio. He did a lot of work of farmers and the area, including these photos of the Indians. Eventually he sold his business to Olmstead and removed to Portland where he went to work for the old Olds and King store. He was in charge of the photography department there.

Charlott on 19th February 2018 @ 7:12am

Have read a number of books on our "manifest destiny" and how we settled into this country. About halfway through Michener's "Centennial" now. Not hard to see how our culture morphed into who we are today. Perpetual wars. Love of guns-including automatic weapons. Maybe someday we will understand that the problem is us. Not the politicians and the NRA.

Buzz on 19th February 2018 @ 8:42am

What a shame that the captions on the photos did not include the person's name. I can't imagine a formal portrait of a white person that wouldn't include the name.

Nancy Trotic on 19th February 2018 @ 12:26pm

Portraitists like Markham and Benjamin Gifford were very good at capturing the "romantic image" which would sell card and prints. When I scanned these images several years ago I, like Charlott, presumed they were from somewhere else. It was only when I ran across a bio of BC Markham that I decided to share them with you. We'll need someone more knowledgeable than me to inform whether this man is dressed in a costume to sell prints, or in legitimate local ceremonial garb.

I thought the necklace was eagle talons, but the Library of Congress says they are bear claw.

Arthur on 19th February 2018 @ 12:33pm

Where do you get your info, Charlotte? Especially about this photographer.

Judy on 19th February 2018 @ 10:56pm

Buzz, "Centennial "is an absolutely marvelous book. I have the VCR full series of it, if you would like to see it sometime.....

Charlott on 20th February 2018 @ 7:04am

I agree with Charlott, he looks more like the tribes from the plains or farther east. The western tribes in the fishing areas appear different than those in the wild game areas farther east.

Kenn on 20th February 2018 @ 9:04am