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.
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Male and female students posed with white female choir director and accompanist at right. Violetta Nash is seated in the second row, fourth in from the left.
Johnston took two very similar photographs of the choir. The other one is linked in Related Images.
In 1901 the Bureau of Indian Affairs contracted with the photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston to document the school at Carlisle for an exhibit at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Johnston visited the school in the spring of that year and took at least one hundred photographs. When the school closed in 1918, two albums of Johnston's photographs were sent to the Pennsylvania State Museum, which transferred them to the Cumberland County Historical Society in 1934. This is one of the images from those albums.
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Young students standing next to their desks in a classroom.
Cataloging for this image from the Cumberland County Historical Society speculates that they are learning "a finger song."
In 1901 the Bureau of Indian Affairs contracted with the photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston to document the school at Carlisle for an exhibit at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Johnston visited the school in the spring of that year and took at least one hundred photographs. When the school closed in 1918, two albums of Johnston's photographs were sent to the Pennsylvania State Museum, which transferred them to the Cumberland County Historical Society in 1934. This is one of the images from those albums.
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Columns of male students exercising in unison with wands. In this image the students are standing holding the wands in front of them.
In 1901 the Bureau of Indian Affairs contracted with the photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston to document the school at Carlisle for an exhibit at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Johnston visited the school in the spring of that year and took at least one hundred photographs. When the school closed in 1918, two albums of Johnston's photographs were sent to the Pennsylvania State Museum, which transferred them to the Cumberland County Historical Society in 1934. This is one of the images from those albums.
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Columns of female students in athletic clothing posed in the gymnasium with dumbbells.
Version 2 of this image is the same group of students but their arms are in a different position.
In 1901 the Bureau of Indian Affairs contracted with the photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston to document the school at Carlisle for an exhibit at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Johnston visited the school in the spring of that year and took at least one hundred photographs. When the school closed in 1918, two albums of Johnston's photographs were sent to the Pennsylvania State Museum, which transferred them to the Cumberland County Historical Society in 1934. This is one of the images from those albums.
This image with the caption GIRLS' DUMBBELL DRILL appears in The Indian Industrial School, Carlisle, Pa.: 23rd Year (Carlisle, PA: The School, 1902) [p. 62].
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Younger male and female students posed in the Sloyd Classroom.
Sloyd is a system of handicraft-based education thought to build character and encourage moral behavior, greater intelligence, and industriousness.
In 1901 the Bureau of Indian Affairs contracted with the photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston to document the school at Carlisle for an exhibit at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Johnston visited the school in the spring of that year and took at least one hundred photographs. When the school closed in 1918, two albums of Johnston's photographs were sent to the Pennsylvania State Museum, which transferred them to the Cumberland County Historical Society in 1934. This is one of the images from those albums.
This image with the caption SLOYD CLASS, SMALLEST PUPILS appears in The Indian Industrial School, Carlisle, Pa.: 23rd Year (Carlisle, PA: The School, 1902) [p.83].
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Female students in athletic clothing posed with a white man in the gymnasium. The man is holding a basketball and two students are waiting for him to throw a jump ball while the other students surround them in a circle.
In 1901 the Bureau of Indian Affairs contracted with the photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston to document the school at Carlisle for an exhibit at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Johnston visited the school in the spring of that year and took at least one hundred photographs. When the school closed in 1918, two albums of Johnston's photographs were sent to the Pennsylvania State Museum, which transferred them to the Cumberland County Historical Society in 1934. This is one of the images from those albums.
This image with the caption BASKET BALL GIRLS appears in The Indian Industrial School, Carlisle, Pa.: 23rd Year (Carlisle, PA: The School, 1902) [p.65].
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Two male students posed shoveling coal in the Boiler House while a white man looks on.
In 1901 the Bureau of Indian Affairs contracted with the photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston to document the school at Carlisle for an exhibit at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Johnston visited the school in the spring of that year and took at least one hundred photographs. When the school closed in 1918, two albums of Johnston's photographs were sent to the Pennsylvania State Museum, which transferred them to the Cumberland County Historical Society in 1934. This is one of the images from those albums.
This image with the caption BOILER HOUSE appears in The Indian Industrial School, Carlisle, Pa.: 23rd Year (Carlisle, PA: The School, 1902) [p. 16].
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Four male students posed standing at work tables.
The Cumberland County Historical Society identifies this as the Boiler Shop where "students are taught cutting and threading pipes."
In 1901 the Bureau of Indian Affairs contracted with the photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston to document the school at Carlisle for an exhibit at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Johnston visited the school in the spring of that year and took at least one hundred photographs. When the school closed in 1918, two albums of Johnston's photographs were sent to the Pennsylvania State Museum, which transferred them to the Cumberland County Historical Society in 1934. This is one of the images from those albums.
This image with the caption STEAMFITTING appears in The Indian Industrial School, Carlisle, Pa.: 23rd Year (Carlisle, PA: The School, 1902) [p. 47].
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Five male students posed in the Tin Shop with piles of finished tin products in the background.
In 1901 the Bureau of Indian Affairs contracted with the photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston to document the school at Carlisle for an exhibit at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Johnston visited the school in the spring of that year and took at least one hundred photographs. When the school closed in 1918, two albums of Johnston's photographs were sent to the Pennsylvania State Museum, which transferred them to the Cumberland County Historical Society in 1934. This is one of the images from those albums.
The Frances Benjamin Johnston Collection at the Library of Congress also contains a print of this photograph. A copy of that print is available for download from the Library of Congress website: https://www.loc.gov/item/91788182/.
This image with the caption CORNER IN TIN SHOP appears in The Indian Industrial School, Carlisle, Pa.: 23rd Year (Carlisle, PA: The School, 1902) [p. 29].
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Young students posed in a classroom.
The Cumberland County Historical Society's cataloging identifies this as Miss McIntire's classroom.
In 1901 the Bureau of Indian Affairs contracted with the photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston to document the school at Carlisle for an exhibit at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Johnston visited the school in the spring of that year and took at least one hundred photographs. When the school closed in 1918, two albums of Johnston's photographs were sent to the Pennsylvania State Museum, which transferred them to the Cumberland County Historical Society in 1934. This is one of the images from those albums.
This image appears with the caption NORMAL ROOM in The Indian Industrial School, Carlisle, Pa.: 23rd Year (Carlisle, PA: The School, 1902) [p. 68].
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Female students posed in sewing room with two white instructors at right.
In 1901 the Bureau of Indian Affairs contracted with the photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston to document the school at Carlisle for an exhibit at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Johnston visited the school in the spring of that year and took at least one hundred photographs. When the school closed in 1918, two albums of Johnston's photographs were sent to the Pennsylvania State Museum, which transferred them to the Cumberland County Historical Society in 1934. This is one of the images from those albums.
This image appears with the caption DRESSMAKING SECTION in The Indian Industrial School, Carlisle, Pa.: 23rd Year (Carlisle, PA: The School, 1902) [p. 49].
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Male and female students posed, seated and holding sheets of music, with a white female teacher standing in front, in a class room.
A note on the reverse of the image identifies the teacher as Miss Senseney.
Johnston took two very similar photographs of this classroom. The other version can be seen in Related Images.
In 1901 the Bureau of Indian Affairs contracted with the photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston to document the school at Carlisle for an exhibit at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Johnston visited the school in the spring of that year and took at least one hundred photographs. When the school closed in 1918, two albums of Johnston's photographs were sent to the Pennsylvania State Museum, which transferred them to the Cumberland County Historical Society in 1934. This is one of the images from those albums.
This image appears with the caption MUSIC CLASS in The Indian Industrial School, Carlisle, Pa.: 23rd Year (Carlisle, PA: The School, 1902) [p. 86].
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
The handwritten note on the reverse side reads: Shoe Shop. Repairing.
Note: The Library of Congress has a copy of this photo in its Frances Benjamin Johnston Collection: https://www.loc.gov/item/2006675679/
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Dickinson College Archives & Special Collections
Male and female students posed holding sheets of music with white female choir director and accompanist at right. Violetta Nash is seated in the second row, fourth in from the left.
Johnston took two very similar photographs of the choir. The other one is linked in Related Images.
This image with the caption CHOIR appears in The Indian Industrial School, Carlisle, Pa.: 23rd Year (Carlisle, PA: The School, 1902) [p. 87].
Format: Photograph, Reproduction
Repository: Dickinson College Archives & Special Collections
Previous cataloging identified the students as being from Alaska and provides a date of 1901 for the image. It also identifies the white man as an Indian agent.
Based on this, this group would be the one that arrived July 11, 1901 from Woody Island, Alaska. The issue of the school newspaper also mentions that a Mr. C. E. Bunnell accompanied the group, so he is the white man in this photo. The female student in the center left is likely Kate Shepherd.
Here is the description from The Red Man and Helper (Vol. 2, No. 3) August 16, 1901:
"Mr. C. E. Bunnell is making a flying trip to the East during vacation. He took with him eleven young people to attend the Carlisle Indian School. Kate Shepherd, Anastatia Perrin [Anastasia Ashouwak], John Lolchesnekoff, Theodore Schclikoff [Fadya Shellikoff], Sashka Alexander, George Calaktinoff, and Michael Chabitnoy went from the Orphanage; Olsena Sperbaek [Orleana Yakoff], Pariscovia Feoderoff [Friendoff; Fadaoff] and Nikifer Shouchuk [middle of back row, tallest], from Wood Island : and Peter Debrowolsky from Kodiak."
Format: Glass Plate Negative
Repository: National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution
Portrait of student Nikefer Shoushick.
Format: Glass Plate Negative
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
A view of the school's tin shop.
Format: Glass Plate Negative
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Nikefer Shoushick posed on a field in football uniform and holding a football.
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: U. S. Army Heritage and Education Center
View of the school's Harness Shop.
Format: Glass Plate Negative
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
View of the school's Printing Shop.
Format: Glass Plate Negative
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
View of the interior of the school's laundry building.
Format: Glass Plate Negative
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
A herd of cows in an enclosure next to the school barn.
Format: Glass Plate Negative
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Group portrait of the school band posed in front of the band stand. James Riley Wheelock, the band director, is standing in the center with the baton.
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: Cumberland County Historical Society
Football players in action on a playing field.
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: U. S. Army Heritage and Education Center
Studio portrait of fifteen male students, most in sweaters with "P" on them, (one with "C" sweater). The student in the middle was identified as Dennison Wheelock. One student is holding a football with "02" written on it.
Format: Photographic Print, B&W
Repository: U. S. Army Heritage and Education Center