Robert P. Emrick was born in Haydenville, Massachusetts on March 31, 1890. He lived in the Northampton area until his death on March 7, 1982. He was 91 years old. A prolific photographer, Emrick captured images of a plethora of subjects; from the early twentieth-century Look Memorial Park to the landscapes of the Connecticut River Valley, Emrick’s photographs pay homage to the multifaceted history of Western Massachusetts.
Aside from his passion for photography, Robert Emrick was quite active within the Northampton community. He served on the city’s Common Council (1924), was elected to the Board of Aldermen in 1925, held membership in the police committee, the soldier’s relief committee, and the state aid committee. Emrick was also active in the Boy Scouts, serving as scoutmaster of Troop 108 (Leeds).
The Robert P. Emrick Collection is housed within the Special Collections Department at Forbes Library and is available for both casual browsing and research. We suggest that you make an appointment with the archivist before your visit. Nevertheless, we are enthusiastic about curating the Emrick Collection and look forward to your visits.
Series A: Catalog Index Cards
Series A is a collection of index cards. Each index card is assigned a number, which corresponds to an image. Arranged numerically according to Emrick’s index, the index cards provide descriptive information regarding the images in the Robert Emrick collection. (Series A Scope and Content [1 page PDF])
Series B: Photographic Prints
Series B is a collection of photographic prints arranged alphabetically by geographical region or historical event.
Series C: Books
Series C consists of a series of books, which are authored by Robert Emrick.
Series D: Glass-plate negatives
Series D is a collection of fragile glass glass-plate negatives, which are arranged according to Emrick’s numerical index.
Series E: Photograph Albums
Series E is a collection of photograph albums.
Sub-series E1 is a collection of numbered photograph albums arranged in numerical order.
Sub-series E2 is a collection of titled photograph albums arranged in alphabetical order.
Sub-series E3 is a collection of untitled photograph albums.
Sub-series E2 includes the Frank Newell Look Memorial Park photographs and archives 1912-1961 (2 page PDF).
Series F: Film Negatives
Series F is a collection of negative film. The film is arranged according to numerical order. Patron’s who need descriptive information regarding an individual negative should cross-reference Series F with Series A.