“McClinton Brothers — Amateur Photographers” is the subject to be presented by Larry Lang at the Clallam County Historical Society’s History Tales lecture series on Sunday, Nov.2. The presentation begins at 2:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 110 E. Seventh St., Port Angeles. Parking and entry to the church’s social hall are on Laurel Street.
“Brothers Ray and Roy McClinton captured some of the earliest images of well known places in Clallam County,” Lang says. “Marymere and Sol Duc Falls, Fairholme, Lakes Crescent and Sutherland were among their subjects.
If you have lived in Clallam County very long, you most likely have seen some of their photographs. “The problem is that over the years the McClintons have never been recognized for their art,” Lang says. “I hope to give long-overdue credit to the pair for their fine photography.”
Sons of Superior Court Judge James G. McClinton, the fraternal twins began taking photos as teenagers in the early 1890s. Their cameras were tripod-mounted and used glass-plate negatives, similar to what Matthew Brady used.
The highlight of the presentation will be a selection of the McClinton brothers’ photos themselves, scanned at high resolution from the original glass plates. The Historical Society’s McClinton Collection includes over 400 glass-plate negatives and two family photo albums covering a period of about 25 years.
The presentation will include a brief overview of research and interpretive techniques in deciphering unidentified people and places. Lang also will provide a thumbnail history of the McClinton family. Descendants of Judge McClinton plan to attend.
History Tales is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Clallam County Historical Society’s office at 360-452-2662 or e-mail artifact@olypen.com.
