Photo Negative Collection Indexes

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The Ott & Hay collection, consisting of over 12,000 glass plate negatives, was saved from the tower of the Citizens and Northern Bank in Towanda, which was the location of their main studio for many years. They were in business together until Mr. Hay's death in 1931. Mr. Ott continued the business until he sold in 1941. The collection covers the years from 1890 to 1915. Each glass plate negative has the name of the person or persons who arranged for the photography appointment or paid for the photograph. Bank employee Richard Hall carried them to the Bradford County Historical Society in lots of 300 to 400 over a two-year period. An additional 350 negatives were later discovered and rescued from the tower by BCHS Executive Director Matthew Carl, who, with BCHS President Henry Farley, lowered them from the attic and cleaned them for use by researchers. Over time, Bradford County Historical Society staff and volunteers placed them in envelopes, labeled and filed them alphabetically.