http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c81j9hng No online items Guide to the Michael T. Benning photograph collection Center for Sacramento volunteers Center for Sacramento History 551 Sequoia Pacific Blvd. Sacramento, California 95811-0229 Phone: (916) 808-7072 Fax: (916) 264-7582 Email: [email protected] URL: http://www.centerforsacramentohistory.org/ © 2013 Center for Sacramento History. All rights reserved. Guide to the Michael T. Benning MS 45 1 photograph collection Guide to the Michael T. Benning photograph collection Collection number: MS 45 Center for Sacramento History Sacramento, CA Processed by: Center for Sacramento volunteers Date Completed: 2019-09-05 Encoded by: Sean Heyliger © 2013 Center for Sacramento History. All rights reserved. Descriptive Summary Title: Michael T. Benning photograph collection Dates: circa 1915-1970 Collection number: MS 45 Creator: Benning, Michael T. Collection Size: ~20,000 photographs and negatives(3 filing cabinet drawers + 29 boxes + 60 linear feet of artifacts) Repository: Center for Sacramento History Sacramento, California 95811-0229 Abstract: The Michael T. Benning Photograph Collection includes over 20,000 portraits of various local clubs; social organizations; sports teams; church events such as Portuguese Holy Ghost festas and Catholic first communions and confirmations; structures such as churches, schools, commercial buildings, hotels, domestic residences, and bridges, as well as some excellent views of street scenes of the City of North Sacramento. Physical location: 4D1 Drawers A, J, I, Nitrates freezer, 28A5, 36A1-9, 36B1-10, 31B3 Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English Access Collection is open for research use. Publication Rights All requests to publish or quote from private collections held by the Center for Sacramento History (CSH) must be submitted in writing to [email protected]. Permission for publication is given on behalf of CSH as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the patron. No permission is necessary to publish or quote from public records. Preferred Citation [Identification of item and/or item number], [box and folder number], Michael T. Benning photograph collection , MS 45, Center for Sacramento History. Acquisition Information The Michael T. Benning Photograph Collection was donated to the Center for Sacramento History by Mead Kibbey on December 12, 1983 (accession #1983/0232). Processing Information Collection processed by Center for Sacramento History volunteers. Biography / Administrative History Photographer Michael Thomas Benning (1892-1976) was a commercial photographer who specialized in taking portraits of school children, initially in the Sacramento area and later expanding to other schools in the areas east of Sacramento, both in California and Nevada. He was born on April 17, 1892 in Valchid (German Waldhütten), Romania, a village in central Romania with an ethnic German population. He immigrated to the United States in 1909, living first in Detroit, Michigan, before finally moving to Sacramento, California in the 1920s. In Sacramento he became a naturalized citizen and started his career as a commerical photographer focusing on taking class photographs of school in Sacramento and the surrounding Guide to the Michael T. Benning MS 45 2 photograph collection area. Later, as his business flourished, Benning purchased land on the north shore of Lake Tahoe at Kings Beach and operated a resort known as Bennings Resort. He also continued his photographic profession at the resort, where he specialized in images of his and others' resorts, Kings Beach and Lake Tahoe City, early casinos, and scenic images of the lake itself. He continued the practice of doing local Sacramento images during the fall, winter and spring months and then transporting his family and business to Lake Tahoe for the summer until his death in 1979. Scope and Content of Collection The Michael T. Benning Photograph Collection includes many portraits of various local clubs; social organizations; sports teams; church events such as Portuguese Holy Ghost festas and Catholic first communions and confirmations; structures such as churches, schools, commercial buildings, hotels, domestic residences, and bridges, as well as some excellent views of street scenes of the City of North Sacramento. Most of the images were identified on the image itself as to subject and date; however, many school groups and portraits of individuals were not and have been grouped at the end of the collection. The collection is organized into nine series: Series 1. Sacramento schools, Series 2. Schools outside of Sacramento, Series 3. Church schools and events, Series 4. Lake Tahoe, Series 5. Commercial photography, Series 6. Organizations, Series 7. Unidentified people and groups, Series 8. Family photographs, Series 9. Artifacts, pamphlets, and correspondence. Sacramento schools, excluding school buildings, arranged alphabetically by the name of the school, and chronologically with each school. Church schools and events, excluding church buildings, arranged alphabetically by name of church or event. This category includes first communions and confirmations. Schools outside of Sacramento are arranged alphabetically by school name. Commercial photography includes local structures and advertising images which Benning did for business firms' advertisments. Organizations are arranged by name (non-school sports and non-school musical organizations are listed in the catagories "Sports teams" and "Bands and Orchestras" respectively). Arrangement Series 1. Sacramento schools Series 2. Schools outside of Sacramento Series 3. Church schools and events Series 4. Lake Tahoe Series 5. Commercial photography Series 6. Organizations Series 7. Unidentified people and groups Series 8. Family photographs Series 9. Artifacts, pamphlets, and correspondence Indexing Terms The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog. Benning, Michael T. Photographers--California--Sacramento Sacramento (Calif.). Unified School District Sacramento (Calif.)--History--Pictorial works School photography Tahoe, Lake (Calif. and Nev.) Incline Village (Nev.) Series 1. Sacramento schools Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00001-39 A. S. Arden School Arcade School undated Description 39 photos - These photographs are marked with the initials A. S. It is believed the schools are the Arden School and (or) Arcade Schools. Many grade levels are pictured including kindergarten to graduating classes. Included in this series are the years 1946, 1949, and 1951. Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00009 A. S. Arden School Arcade School Music class undated Description This photograph is marked with the initials A. S. It is believed the schools are the Arden School or Arcade School. Music class. Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00040-48 Alta Vista School 1954 Description 9 photos - Alta Vista School near Auburn Ca. Many grade levels are pictured including kindergarten to graduating classes. Guide to the Michael T. Benning MS 45 3 photograph collection Series 1. Sacramento schools Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00049-60 Areohaven Elementary School 1957/03 Description 12 photos - Areohaven Elementary School, North Highlands CA Many grade levels are pictured including kindergarten to graduating classes. Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00061 Areohaven Elementary School Faculty 1957/04 Description Faculty of Areohaven Elementary School, North Highlands CA Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00062 Alpha School, 1950 Elverta CA 1950 Description Alpha School, 1950 Elverta CA Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00064-68 American Basin School undated Description 5 Photos - American Basin School, 1950 - 1951 North Natomas CA Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00069-129 American Legion School undated Description 71 Photos - American Legion School, 1937 - 48, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61. The majority of photos were taken from 1951 - 1961. Many grade levels are represented and there several photos of the Traffic Patrol. Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00101 American Legion School 1955/06 Description American Legion School, Traffic Patrol 1955, This photo represents many Traffic Patrol photos in the American Legion School Series. Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00131 American River Jr. College Basketball Team 1956 1956/02 Description American River Jr. College Pioneer Basketball Team, Feb. 1956 Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00132-33 American River Jr. College Football Team 1956 1956/11 Description 2 Photos - American River Jr. College Football Team, Nov. 1956 Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00133a American River Jr. College Graduates 1956 6/15/1956 Description American River Jr. College The First Graduates June 15, 1956. Photograph was taken at the Grant Union High School Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00134 Applegate School 10/10/1939 Description Applegate School Oct. 10, 1939 Applegate Ca Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00135-267 Arcade School undated Description 124 Photos - Arcade School, 1940, 1944 - 1950 Many grade levels are represented here. Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00152 Arcade School 1946 Description Arcade School, Special Costumed Event 1946 Guide to the Michael T. Benning MS 45 4 photograph collection Series 1. Sacramento schools Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00195 Arcade School Orchestra 1949 5/9/1949 Description Arcade School, Orchestra 1949 Box 4D1 Drawer A 1983/232/00218 Arcade School Band1950 1950 Description Arcade