[Two intriguing vernacular Progressive Era photo albums filled with 562 original silver gelatin photographs, depicting this talented amateur photographer, railroad machinist, mechanical engineer, and later auto repair shop owner driving to Yosemite & Yellowstone National Parks, along the Columbia River Highway, camping & driving to Mount Baker, Mount Rainier National Park, and more. The MacKay’s, friends & family auto camped and traveled through the West, up to Vancouver, B.C., hunted, fished, visited the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, as well as Schmitz Park and the beaches of West Seattle, with these albums capturing several decades of their adventures].

[Portland, OR & Seattle, WA: Walter Angus MacKay, Julia Rose Eder MacKay, Cross & Dimmitt, ca. 1880-1958]. Two vols. 1st - Thick oblong 4to. 11.5 x 8.75 x 2.25 in. [128 pp (unpaginated).], on thick black paper. With 461 photographs sized 1.75 x 2.75 in. up to 4.5 x 5.5 in., including 2 CDV’s, 1 cyanotype, several albumen, and range of silver gelatin snapshots on matted and glossy paper stock, many w/ annotations either on verso, below images, or w/in the margins at lower fore-edge, or in pencil, some w/ white ink alongside the images. Contemporary flexible polished calf post-binder, punch-sewn at gutter margin in gold silk braid, RPPC of Tillamook Bay, OR by Gregg mounted on front cover (chipping & wear to front cover, wear to corners, wear & rubbing to some fore-edges, occasional chipping, minor closed tears), still VG exemplar; 2nd vol. -- Oblong 8vo. 8 x 5.75 in. [78 pp (unpaginated).], on thick tan paper stock. With 101 silver gelatin photographs mounted, sized from 1.75 x 2.75 in. up to 4 x 6 in. (some w/ sepia effect), either mounted directly on the pages, or many affixed with small strips of black paper, or old paper corners affixing the images to the leaves, a few w/ annotations on verso, or below. Contemporary flexible diced calf “Housh” photo album (chipping & wear to spine, wear & bumping to corners, some pages reworked by compilers at some point), still a G exemplar, both albums’ photos with bright strong contrast. These photo albums faithfully follow the sporting and leisure activities of two gearheads from Chicago -- Walter MacKay, and his brother Carrol MacKay, who together with their extended families, and friends drive and auto-camp across the West. The large first album opens with many photos following a trip to Yosemite National Park, as well as scenes along the route, and upon the return of Walter & Julia. Their follow-up automobile trip in 1928 takes them to Yellowstone National Park, via Spokane, Idaho, and Montana, with photos included of Old Faithful, a photo by Haynes of the Grand Geyser, as well as auto camping at “Mammoth Hot Springs.” Subsequent photos trace their travels through the Columbia River Gorge, the Snake River, Mount Rainier National Park, Ariel Dam near Ariel, WA, Hoods Canal, WA, and Newport, OR. Their speed boat launch the Carmen is featured in some photos, along with several views of pumps, hoisting engines, giant diesel and gas engines under repair. Other trips include those to , Snoqualmie Falls, Trout Lake, WA near Mt. Adams, working a hoist at logging camp, partying with friends in Renton, WA, and even views of Walter MacKay advertising his Automobile Repair Shop with a cover on his rear tire. Other outings include auto camping and picnicking along the Mt. Hood Loop, Grant’s Park on the Clackamas River, Mt. Hood, the Rogue River, Table Mountain, and views of Grants Pass. Walter and his gearhead friends were known for their stripped-down roadster racing cars, and were also early participants in the Seattle Motorcycle Club, and Motorcycle races. A couple photos within the two albums show early motorcycles, and even gallivanting on some stripped down chassis without engines or tires. The second album includes a series of photos featuring Walter and his car beneath a towering Cedar Stump, with arch cut into the base, and him holding gun, as well as standing on the fenders of the car. The second also includes automobile camping photos, with tent and cots folded out of the rear of the automobile, driving into Vancouver, B.C., as well as driving to Mount Rainier, and more along the Columbia River Highway and Mount Hood. Also featured are hunting shots in Eastern Oregon, construction of a summer log cabin, and much more. Mackay (1883-1959) was a mechanical engineer, machinist, gearhead, racecar builder, who came West working for the railroad as a machinist, before working for Paragon Co. in Seattle as parts manager. He owned and operated the MacKay Automotive Repair at 165 E. 39th in Portland, OR on the SW corner of 39th (Cesar Chavez) and Belmont for years before working at Albina Engine & Machine Works at the end of the Great Depression. One of the photos in the 2nd album shows MacKay with his camera shooting a photo, and several show Julia MacKay’s (1880-1958) sisters, and family. Should be noted we unknowingly catalogued an album on Seattle Auto Racing and Motorcycle Clubs from before World War I, without having had access to these unknown albums. See: The Origins and Growth of the Club Scene in Western Washington 1910-1941, Jolly Rogers Motorcycle Club (Feb. 7, 2009); Seattle Motorcycle Races, Pantages Theater Program, Early Advertising in the West, 1867-1918, Univ. of Washington Spec. Collections.