Skip to main content

Noble Nielsen photograph collection

 Collection
Identifier: UUS_P0363

Scope and Contents

The Noble Nielsen Photograph collection contains 196 snapshots of residences and businesses in Cache County (mostly Logan), Utah taken from the 1930s to the 1960s. These tax assessment photographs were kept by the county for record keeping purposes and were taped to tax assessment cards. The photos have been detached from their cards, but stored together, for the sake of preservation. The information in this inventory comes directly from the tax assessment cards. In addition, there are assessment cards without photos, building and residence snapshots with ID numbers but no assessment cards, pictures of various houses and buildings throughout Logan, and five portraits of individuals. While nearly all the cards give the property owner, the tax assessed evaluation, and the town lot number, many cards also include descriptions of the property, the date the structure was built, the building's status, its address, and/or a sketch of the floor plan.

Because only a few of the photos have an address the best way to search is by the original owner of the property. It is not always clear when the snapshots were taken. Many of the cards, however, state either the date the building was built, the year of the tax assessment, or both. Each item includes the accession number, the city (when available) the owner or name of the building (if applicable), and the address (when available). Most of images are probably from Logan.

Dates

  • Creation: 1860-1980
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1940-1980

Language of Materials

Collection materials are in English.

Restrictions

Open to public research.

Copyright

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Utah State University Libraries, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.

Permission to publish material from the Noble Nielsen photograph collection must be obtained from the Special Collections Photograph Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Biographical Note

Noble Nielsen was a local Logan historian. He was born in Logan, UT on August 11, 1908 to James Christian and Emma Christina Nielsen who were from Denmark and Sweden, respectively. At the age of eight Noble's father died leaving his mother to raise eight children. Noble attended Woodruff School (now torn down) and graduated from high school. Afterwards he went to live with his only sister in Stockton, California where he worked on the Union Pacific Railroad as an express man. After four years in California he returned to Cache Valley. He met his wife Ruth Quayle, who was attending USU, and they were married February 9, 1933. They had two daughters. Noble worked as a field man for the Carnation Milk Co. in Wellsville, UT for 18 years and later at the Cache Valley Dairy for 14 years. Noble became interested in Logan history and wrote about the Bishops of the LDS Logan 1st Ward. As part of his historical fascination, he created a catalog of all the businesses that had existed in Logan. He valued learning about the government and faithfully attended City Council meetings. Upon doing some research at the Court House he found they were discarding the old house tax evaluation cards and photos and rescued them. He died on July 20, 1993.

Extent

1 box (0.5 linear ft.)

Abstract

196 snapshots of residences and businesses in Cache County (mostly Logan), Utah taken from the 1930s to the 1960s. These tax assessment photographs were kept by the county for record keeping purposes and were taped to tax assessment cards. The photos have been detached from their cards, but stored together, for the sake of preservation. The information in this inventory comes directly from the tax assessment cards. In addition, there are assessment cards without photos, building and residence snapshots with ID numbers but no assessment cards, pictures of various houses and buildings throughout Logan, and five portraits of individuals. While nearly all the cards give the property owner, the tax assessed evaluation, and the town lot number, many cards also include descriptions of the property, the date the structure was built, the building's status, its address, and/or a sketch of the floor plan.

Arrangement

Arrangement: Topical.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection comes from a generous donation by Nielsen's now deceased wife, Ruth Q. Nielsen, soon after his death.

Related Materials

Cache County tax assessment photograph collection (P0012).

Processing Information

Register completed by Sarah R. Lee, December 2007.

Title
Guide to the Noble Nielsen photograph collection, 1860-1980
Author
Finding aid created by Sarah R. Lee, December 2007.
Date
©2008
Description rules
Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition)
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding guide is in English in Latin script.
Sponsor
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008

Revision Statements

  • May 31, 2008: Template information was updated to reflect Utah Manuscript Association best practices.
  • 2009: Template information was updated to reflect Archives West best practice guidelines.

Repository Details

Part of the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository

Contact:
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan Utah 84322-3000 United States
435 797-8248
435 797-2880 (Fax)