California State University, Northridge, Tom and Ethel Bradley Center Collections

Higgins (Katherine B.) Photograph Collection, 1870-1963

Katherine B. Higgins Photograph Collection, 1870-1963

Summary

Creators:
Higgins, Katherine Banfield, 1880-1967
Abstract:
Katherine Banfield Higgins was a missionary worker for La Plaza United Methodist Church and Community Center in downtown Los Angeles, California. The Katherine B. Higgins Photograph Collection documents her personal life, her career, and her travels during the first half of the twentieth century. Locations are mostly in southern California and also include Minnesota, Indiana, and Lake Tahoe. The collection also documents her role in the founding of Goodwill Southern California. The emphasis of the collection is on her family, her colleagues in the field of social work, the Latin American families that she helped, and professional and personal activities at places such as residences, the beach, and the Spanish-American Institute. Higgins began her work in Los Angeles in 1915 and retired in 1949. The collection consists of two photograph albums, small prints, cabinet cards, cartes de visite, and a shawl owned by Katherine Higgins. Dates span from the 1870s to the 1960s.
Extent:
2.67 linear feet
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materialsguide.

Background

Scope and content:

Katherine Banfield Higgins was a missionary worker for La Plaza United Methodist Church and Community Center in downtown Los Angeles, California. The Katherine B. Higgins Photograph Collection documents her personal life, her career, and her travels during the first half of the twentieth century. Locations are mostly in southern California and also include Minnesota, Indiana, and Lake Tahoe. The collection also documents her role in the founding of Goodwill Southern California. The emphasis of the collection is on her family, her colleagues in the field of social work, the Latin American families that she helped, and professional and personal activities at places such as residences, the beach, and the Spanish-American Institute. Higgins began her work in Los Angeles in 1915 and retired in 1949. The collection consists of two photograph albums, small prints, cabinet cards, cartes de visite, and a shawl owned by Katherine Higgins. Dates span from the 1870s to the 1960s.

Collection folders are arranged alphabetically by title.

Prints and envelopes are marked with an alphanumerical unique identifier. The Tom and Ethel Bradley Center created this identification system for internal reference.

Biographical / historical:

Katherine Banfield Higgins was born on December 23, 1880 in Bilston, Staffordshire, England. Her father, Joseph Higgins, was born November 18, 1845, in Highlands, Staffordshire, England, and died of typhoid fever November 5th, 1881 in Bilston. Her mother, also named Catherine Banfield Higgins, was the daughter of George and Sarah Banfield. Catherine was born March 15th, 1847, in Allfields, Staffordshire, England, and died May 16, 1922 in Los Angeles, California. When Katherine was only 11 months old, her father Joseph died. Her mother Catherine decided to move with her five children to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where her own parents had already moved.

While Katherine was still young, her family moved to Elwood, Indiana, a small manufacturing town in central Indiana. Although she had originally been brought up in the Episcopal Church, Katherine and her mother joined The Methodist Episcopal Church, where Catherine dedicated to commit her life to service. Higgins was trained in social work at Chicago Commons, University of Chicago, Olivet Institutional Church, and Hull House in Chicago.

In 1915, Higgins accepted a position with the Methodist Church to start welfare work for Latin Americans in the Los Angeles area. Higgins served on the Methodist Board of Latin American Missions and founded a medical and dental center, an employment office, and the first Goodwill Store in Los Angeles, located on the site of La Plaza United Methodist Church. Katherine Higgins died in 1967.

Acquisition information:
Nancy L. Taylor, 2016
Processing information:

Keith Rice, Tina Gharai, 2019

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:
Photographs
Textiles

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research use.

Terms of access:

Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge. Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Preferred citation:

For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materialsguide.

Location of this collection:
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330, US
Contact:
(818) 677-4594
Website