The Images section features photographs, postcards, and different types of artwork, as well as reproductions of images that appeared in newspapers, magazines, and other publications. These images all reflect the Carlisle Indian School students, facilities, and staff. Images available here are drawn from files housed at the U. S. National Archives, from collections of Carlisle Indian School materials housed at various archival repositories, and from a variety of published sources. Visitors to this website are also invited to share copies of photographs from their own personal and family collections; please contact us if you have images you would like to contribute.
Search Images
Please Note: The Search box above only searches certain fields in the Image Collection. To search the entire site, use the search box on the top left.
You are searching the title, description, photographer, and location fields.
Browse Images
Studio portrait of Young Bull Bear, a Cheyenne chief, with students Oscar Bull Bear and Richard Davis.
Note: Previous interpretation of the handwritten caption on the plate says that Richard Davis was also called Thunderbird, and the date of the photograph is 1879.
Format: Glass Plate Negative
Repository: National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Seven Sioux students posed on the bandstand on the school grounds shortly after their arrival. They are: Guy (Bear Don't Scare), Amos Lone Hill, Bennett (Singer), Frank Twiss, Lizzie Glode (also known as Daisy Glode), Lucy Day, and Mary (Lulu) Bridgeman.
Format: Glass Plate Negative, Stereograph
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Group portrait of five Sioux students posed outside a building, presumably on the school grounds. They are, from left to right: William Spotted Tail (Stays at Home), Sarah Mather (Red Road), Max Spotted Tail (Talks with Bears), Oliver Spotted Tail (Bugler), and Pollock Spotted Tail (Little Scout).
Format: Glass Plate Negative, Stereograph
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Group portrait of Pankin, Albert (seated in the center), Howard Chawip (standing back left), and Peter Charko (seated on the left) posed outside a school building.
Format: Glass Plate Negative, Stereograph
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Outdoor portrait of Marshall Bad Milk (Little Wolf), Alvan (One That Kills Horse), Austin Holy Bear (Wind Blows), and Horace (White Whirlwind) posed in front of the bandstand on the school grounds.
Format: Glass Plate Negative, Stereograph
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Group portrait of Henry Thigh, Frank Twiss, Morgan (Young Bird), and Rebecca Big Star posed on the steps of a building, presumably on the school grounds.
Note: The Cumberland County Historical Society had previously identified the female sitter as Maud (Little Girl) based on interpretation of the caption. However, since Maud was seventeen years old on arrival, it seems more likely that this is Rebecca Big Star.
Format: Glass Plate Negative, Stereograph
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Portrait of Nancy Renville, Justine La Framboise, John Renville, Edward Upright, and George Walker posed on the bandstand on the school grounds. We are not certain of each person's identity, but the names have been placed in order, left to right, as we believe them to be pictured.
Format: Glass Plate Negative, Stereograph
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Portrait of Samuel High Bear, Herbert (Yellow Sack), Maurice (Yellow Hair), and Anna Laura (Pretty Woman) posed on the bandstand on the school grounds.
Format: Glass Plate Negative, Stereograph
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Group portrait of the first male students at the school in front the boys' dormitory. Some are standing on the balcony of the building, others are seated or standing on the porch or in front of the building. Interpreter Charles Tackett is standing at the far left.
These students came from the Pine Ridge and Rosebud agencies and arrived on October 6, 1879.
Format: Glass Plate Negative
Repository: National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Group portrait of the first female students, taken on the morning after their arrival on October 6, 1879. Matron Sarah Mather is standing at left and interpreter Charles Tackett is standing at left.
Format: Glass Plate Negative, Stereograph
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Portrait of Cecil (Red Man), Walter Bullman, Zonie McKenzie, and Ruth (Looking Woman) posed on the staircase of the bandstand on the school grounds.
Format: Stereograph
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Group portrait of the first female students, taken on the morning after their arrival on October 6, 1879. Matron Sarah Mather is standing at left and interpreter Charles Tackett is standing at left.
Format: Stereograph
Repository: Dickinson College Archives & Special Collections
Group portrait of the first female students, taken on the morning after their arrival on October 6, 1879. Matron Sarah Mather is standing at left and interpreter Charles Tackett is standing at right.
This image appears in John N. Choate's Souvenir of the Carlisle Indian School (Carlisle, PA: J. N. Choate, 1902).
The Cumberland County Historical Society has several versions of this image, inlcuidng PA-CH2-012a, 10-B-30, BS-CH-20, 00309B#01, and SG03-04.
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Group portrait of first male students at the school from the Pine Ridge and Rosebud agencies. They arrived on October 6, 1879. Richard Henry Pratt is standing at far left and interpreter Charles Tackett is standing at far right.
Note: The Cumberland County Historical Society has several copies of this image, including PA-CH1-030b, BS-CH-29, 10-B-29, and 12-21-01.
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Group portrait of the first female students, taken on the morning after their arrival on October 6, 1879
Note: This image is different from the more commonly seen one. Here there are only twelve people in the back row, not thirteen (it is not yet determined who is not present here). Sarah Mather and Charles Tackett are not included, and there are two white men at right. (Pratt is probably the one on the right with his hand raised.) The group is also posed in front of the Girls' Quarters instead of at the end of the building.
Format: Glass Plate Negative, Stereograph
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Group portrait of first male students at the school from the Pine Ridge and Rosebud agencies. They arrived on October 6, 1879. Richard Henry Pratt is standing at far left and interpreter Charles Tackett is standing at far right.
Note: This is a different view of the first male students than is more commonly seen. It was taken from a side angle rather than straight on. For this reason we have have attributed it to photographer A.A. Line rather than J. N. Choate (who took the same group from the other angle).
Format: Glass Plate Negative, Stereograph
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Group portrait of first male students at the school from the Pine Ridge and Rosebud agencies. They arrived on October 6, 1879. Richard Henry Pratt is standing at far left and interpreter Charles Tackett is standing at far right.
Note: The version of this photograph in the Richard Henry Pratt Papers at Yale University includes an identification of all students included. That version identifies the student lying on the group at the right as Moses Broken Leg. There was no student by that name in the first group of male students and we have been unable to identify who he was.
Format: Glass Plate Negative
Repository: National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Group portrait of the first male students at the school in front the boys' dormitory. Some are standing on the balcony of the building, others are seated or standing on the porch or in front of the building. Interpreter Charles Tackett is standing at the far left.
These students came from the Pine Ridge and Rosebud agencies and arrived on October 6, 1879.
Format: Glass Plate Negative, Stereograph
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Studio portrait of Thomas Carlisle wearing school uniform, seated, and Bob Bent, an interpreter, standing.
Note: Robert (Bob) Bent was the uncle of student Ada Bent, whose father was George Bent, Robert's brother.
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Studio portrait of Thomas Carlisle, seated, in school uniform, and Bob Bent, an interpreter, standing.
Note: Robert (Bob) Bent was the uncle of student Ada Bent, whose father was George Bent, Robert's brother.
Format: Glass Plate Negative
Repository: National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Portrait of White Bear, Zonkeuh, Koba, Henry Roman Nose, Little Chief, Charles Oheltoint, Etadleuh Doanmoe, and White Man posed on the grounds of the school.
Note: The Cumberland County Historical Society notes the identification of these people is based on a copy of the image posted for sale on eBay. That copy was identitied as "No. 27, Florida Boys."
Format: Glass Plate Negative, Stereograph
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
View of the Chapel being built in December of 1879.
Format: Glass Plate Negative, Stereograph
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Studio portrait of Marcus Poko (standing right) and Otto Wells [?], both wearing school uniforms.
Format: Glass Plate Negative, Stereograph
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
The individual in this carte de visite has not been identified.
This image was shared courtesy of Robert R. Rowe.
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Robert R. Rowe Private Collection
Studio portrait of Justine La Framboise.
The handwritten note reads: Justine.
The handwritten note on the reverse side reads: No 48 Justine La Framboise from Sisseton Agency Dakota
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Dickinson College Archives & Special Collections