Photography, Performance, and Identity: Social Constructions of a Local Legend

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "On the Centennial of his Passing: San Diego County Pioneer Nathan "Nate" Harrison and the Historical Archaeology of Legend" , at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The numerous photographs taken of Nate Harrison in the early 20th century are an undeniable part of his continuing legacy. Photography and photographs have long been a cornerstone of substantiating historical existence and constructing knowledge about the past. This paper discusses the social, historical, and cultural processes that shaped Harrison’s engagements with both photography and the incipient tourism of early 20th century San Diego. The photographs of Harrison—and the process of making those photographs—were intertwined with key aspects of his identity, community, and the overall mountain landscape in which he lived. Appreciating the context, meanings, and ramifications of both process and product are essential for gaining a greater understanding of Harrison’s life and legend.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2020   •
• On the Centennial of his Passing: San Diego County Pioneer Nathan "Nate" Harrison and the Historical Archaeology of Legend

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 715