Negatives, Undated (circa 1940-circa 1950?)

The collection contains several hundred film negatives (all size 3” x 4” or smaller, including 120mm, 60mm, and 35mm), as well as a few photographs and slides. Images feature burned out buildings, fire damage, and derelict structures. The photos were created by the Dayton Fire Department during the course of investigations. Some content may be considered graphic and may include human remains. Such graphic photos are rare in the collection, but they are not clearly marked.

Series I, Identified Materials, includes negatives (mostly 120mm, approximately 3” x 4”) filed in individual, numbered envelopes. Some envelopes include identification as to locations, dates, and circumstances. Note that while the envelope file numbers range from 300 to 7401 in this series, not every file number is present. Items in this series date from approximately 1940 to 1975.

Series II, Unidentified Materials, includes negatives (mostly 120, some 60mm and some 35mm), as well as a limited number of photographs and slides, which are not identified. No items in this series are dated but may date from approximately 1940 to 1975. (The meaning of the number codes, starting with “1996,” written on some sleeve pages is unclear: these may indicate the date of photo or, more likely, possibly the date of accessioning by Dayton History.)