Research Guides: Searching for Photos in the Purdue Archives: Digital Collections

Finding Digital and Digitized Materials

Archives and Special Collections e-Archives contains born-digital and digitized representations of many physical items from the archival collections.

To search across all of the photo-centric collections listed below at once, follow these instructions:

1. Copy and past this URL into your web browser:

https://earchives.lib.purdue.edu/digital/search/collection/pbuildings!psd!puhistphot!prc!pustudents!pada!pualumni!puath!pufaculty!pulibraries

2. Enter search terms in the search box at the top right of the screen. Use parentheses to search for phrases. DO NOT click "Advanced Search." Doing so will search all of e-Archives and not just the photo-centric collections.

Results

Search tip regarding language usage:
Please note that e-Archives contains full-text of historical documents. Researchers should keep in mind that the American English language has changed in many ways from the time when many of these materials were created. Using words and phrases that were in use during the time being researched will often generate more relevant results than a modern lexicon, even if these words have fallen out of use or are now considered derogatory.

Specific eArchives Collections

Purdue History in Photographs
Thousands of historic university photographs have been brought together to create the Purdue History in Photographs collection. Purdue customs and traditions, events, people, and the ever-changing campus are represented. Early images of Purdue Pete and the Boilermaker Special are two of the more well-known items.
Purdue Buildings and Campus Scenes
The Purdue Buildings and Campus Scenes collection focuses upon the grounds and buildings that have housed and educated Purdue students.
Purdue Regional Campuses
The Purdue Regional Campuses collection focuses upon the creation and impact of the satellite campuses of Purdue University within the state of Indiana.
Purdue Colleges and Departments
The Purdue Colleges and Departments collection includes Images related directly to the role that Purdue colleges and departments have taken on during the existence of the university.
Purdue University Libraries
The Purdue University Libraries collection is a series of historical photographs spanning the tenure of the university. Photographs include the earliest library in University Hall, the opening of a separate main library in 1913, the twentieth-century transitions of the library system, and more recent library renovations.
Purdue University Faculty
The Purdue University Faculty collection contains a number of photographs of past and present faculty members from the West Lafayette and satellite campuses.
Amelia Earhart Papers (George Palmer Putnam Collection)
The Amelia Earhart papers offer a rare glimpse into the life of America's premier woman aviator. The online collection includes more than 3,500 scans of photographs, maps, documents, and artifacts relating to Earhart. Copies of the maps that were used on her last flight are available, as well as photographs that she took while on the flight and mailed back to her husband George Palmer Putnam.
Amelia Earhart at Purdue
This collection contains a much smaller percentage of photographs than the Amelia Earhart papers (George Palmer Putnam Collection) but it does contain some great photos of Earhart during her time at Purdue. As an inspiration for women to pursue non-traditional roles, Purdue University President Edward C. Elliott invited Amelia Earhart to lecture at the university in 1934. Earhart then joined the Purdue University staff as a women's career counselor in 1935.
Indiana Bridges
Granville Thompson's photographs document Indiana highway bridge construction projects during the years 1921-1943. Approximately 41 bridge construction projects are documented from approximately 33 location sites in Indiana. Many of the original structures in the photographs no longer exist.
Purdue Scrapbooks Collection
Scrapbooks are personal, first-hand accounts of a specific period of time in the life of an individual. The Purdue Scrapbook collection brings these crafted histories to a wider audience. These multi-dimensional scrapbooks are composed of personal notes, news clippings, dance cards, pins, medallions, game tickets, photographs, programs, and innumerable other unique items.
Purdue Students
The Purdue Students collection consists of selected photographs highlighting student activity on campus.
Purdue University Administrative and Associations
Various university administrative personnel, groups, and functions have been brought together to create the Purdue University Administrative and Associations collection of photographs. Awards ceremonies and Board of Trustees meeting images are a few examples from the collection.
Purdue University Alumni
The Purdue University Alumni photographs series contains hundreds of images of university alums. Class portraits, alumni portraits, distinguished graduates, and class reunions constitute the collection.
Purdue University Athletics
The Purdue University Athletics collection includes sketches and photos that tell the history of Purdue athletics from its beginnings at the intercollegiate level. Individual athletes and teams are featured in this extensive historic collection.
William Chester Halstead photographs
The William Chester Halstead photographs document Purdue University, students, faculty, and staff during the 1890s, featuring buildings as well as student groups, such as the cyclists, drum corps, and artillery. Photographs of note include the burned-out structure of the original Heavilon Hall as well as President Smart in his office. The collection also documents the surrounding Greater Lafayette area.

Searching for Photos in the Purdue Archives

President Winthrop E. Stone, 1891

Grand Prix 2008

Medical technician examines blood specimen under microscope

Finding Digital and Digitized Materials

Specific eArchives Collections