Boston Public Library
Boston Herald-Traveler Photo Morgue
The Boston Herald-Traveler Photo Morgue (1906-1972) was the working photograph file of a major Boston daily newspaper. The collection includes photographs by staff photographers, photographic services, and wire services such as Associated Press and United Press International, as well as the work of contributing and freelance photographers. The total number of photographs in the collection is estimated to be between 650,000 and 1,008,000, covering regional, national, and international topics.
The Boston Herald-Traveler Photo Morgue was started in about 1906 when the Boston Herald newspaper and the Boston Traveler newspaper began to file their published and unpublished photographs as a resource for future publication. At some point after the Herald newspaper purchased the Traveler newspaper in 1912, their files were combined to form what had come to be known in the newspaper game as a "morgue." Some photographs in the files were published multiple times over many decades.
Although a single corporation, the newspaper continued to publish under separate mastheads as the morning Herald and evening Traveler edition until 1967. Starting that year, the newspaper discontinued the evening edition with the morning edition under the Boston Herald-Traveler masthead. The Boston Herald-Traveler newspaper ceased publishing in May of 1972, when a rival daily newspaper -- the Boston Record-American -- bought them out.
Critical funding to support long-term preservation of and enhanced public access to Boston Public Library collections, including this one, was provided by the Associates of the Boston Public Library.
The Boston Herald-Traveler Photo Morgue was started in about 1906 when the Boston Herald newspaper and the Boston Traveler newspaper began to file their published and unpublished photographs as a resource for future publication. At some point after the Herald newspaper purchased the Traveler newspaper in 1912, their files were combined to form what had come to be known in the newspaper game as a "morgue." Some photographs in the files were published multiple times over many decades.
Although a single corporation, the newspaper continued to publish under separate mastheads as the morning Herald and evening Traveler edition until 1967. Starting that year, the newspaper discontinued the evening edition with the morning edition under the Boston Herald-Traveler masthead. The Boston Herald-Traveler newspaper ceased publishing in May of 1972, when a rival daily newspaper -- the Boston Record-American -- bought them out.
Critical funding to support long-term preservation of and enhanced public access to Boston Public Library collections, including this one, was provided by the Associates of the Boston Public Library.