The Filson Historical Society Print Collection
Our print collection includes over 1,000 engravings, lithographs, chromolithographs, and posters. Highlights from the print collection include John James Audubon lithographs of birds and animals, engravings and lithographs of many well-known Kentuckians, and a rare poster created for the Satellites of Mercury Fall Commercial Celebration in 1890.
Color print of a cardinal painted by Audubon in 1808
Our finding aids for prints include:
PastPerfect, an in-house, keyword searchable computer database that includes subject photographs, individuals, family collections, institutional collections, business collections, collections by a particular photographer, prints, and films.
The General Subject File, a set of photocopy files arranged by subject. Access to the General Subject File is gained through files of photocopied photographs, postcards and prints divided into approximately 200 subject headings and subheadings. Some of the subjects included are agriculture, boats and steamboats, bridges, bridge construction, churches, floods, historic buildings, industry, individuals, Kentucky houses, Kentucky counties, mining, parks, politics, railroads, rivers, schools, sports, streetcars and interurbans, and street scenes. A guide to the photocopy files is available online and in the department.
The Filson Online Catalog: a selection of items from the print collection is listed in the Filson online catalog.
If you have a research question pertaining to photographs or prints please contact:
Robin Wallace, Associate Curator of Special Collections
Mike Veach, Associate Curator of Special Collections
For image reproductions, please consult our order guidelines.
The Southern Exposition, Louisville, KY, 1883
We want to preserve your history!
The Filson has collected prints since its founding in 1884. We
continue to add to the collections, mainly through gifts from our
members, friends, and people who are interested in preserving
important visual images for the future.
If you have images that you would like to donate to The Filson, we want to hear from you. Please contact Special Collections Curator James Holmberg by email or at (502) 634-8846 for more information on how to donate to The Filson's collections.
