The Photographic Archives Database contains records of photographs selected from approximately four million images in the Houston Metropolitan Research Center's (HMRC) archival collections. The searchable records offer glimpses of day-to-day life in Houston and Texas from the 1860s to the 1980s, and cover subjects such as farming, industry, oil exploration, transportation, festivals, parades, natural disasters, and cultural, civic and sporting events.

Strengths

• Work by commercial photographers such as William Fritz, George Beach, Frank Schlueter, Bert Brandt, and Joseph Litterst
• Street, park and bayou scenes in Houston, as well as aerial views and skylines
• Architecture: residences, businesses, hotels, churches, theaters and schools
• Famous Houstonians like Jesse H. Jones, Howard Hughes, Colonel House, Alfred C. Finn, Mr. and Mrs. Hobby, and Rev. Jack Yates
• Early twentieth century postcards and cartes de visite portraying Houstonians from the 1860's and early 1870's on photographic visiting cards
• Local news photographs

Performing a Search

• Please fill in one or more of the following boxes
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• To request images or to make an appointment to view them, please fill out the HPL Email Reference Form or call the Telephone Reference Service at 832-393-1313