This collection contains photographic prints, negatives, slides and a small number of papers created by A.E. (Gene) Magee from the 1920’s-1990’s. Subjects include aerial imagery of Tucson, Tucson Gas, Electric Light and Power Company, electrical engineering work, businesses and other locations throughout Tucson and the rest of Arizona and trips to California, Montana and Mexico.
Collection Number:
MS 573
Language:
Materials are in English.
Repository:
University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections
University of Arizona
PO Box 210055
Tucson, AZ 85721-0055
Phone: 520-621-6423
Fax: 520-621-9733
URL: http://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/
E-Mail: LBRY-askspcoll@email.arizona.edu
Biographical Note
Arthur Eugene "Gene" Magee, born in 1907, moved from Oklahoma to Tucson with his family in 1924. Magee graduated
from Tucson High School in 1925 and received his B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Arizona in 1930. He
began working full time at Tucson Gas, Electric Light and Power Company (now TEP) and photographing his electrical work, a
practice that continued throughout his career. Magee became the manager at Tucson Rapid Transit Company (now Sun Tran) for
eight years in the late 1930s and co-founded Western Ways Photographic Services with photographer and filmmaker Charles
Herbert in 1946. In 1948, Magee started his own company Magee Engineering in 1948 and left Western Ways to focus on his
new business. Magee spent the next 48 years operating his firm working on over 100 schools, over 30 buildings on the University
of Arizona campus, Tucson International Airport, City Hall and a variety of other buildings across Tucson. In addition to his
engineering career, Magee became a licensed pilot in the 1930s and began taking aerial photos of Tucson, effectively documenting
the city's post-WWII population growth over several decades. Throughout his life, Magee also traveled and photographed several
cities across Arizona, McLeod, Montana, some popular destinations in California and across northern Mexico, including many missions
founded by Father Kino. In 1995, Magee contributed some of his aerial images to Above Tucson Now and Then by James
Glinski, a book comparing aerial views taken by Magee in the 1940s to views taken by Glinski in 1995.
Scope and Content Note
This collection has four series and contains photographic materials consisting of black and white and color negatives
of varying formats from 35mm, medium and large format film and color slides, black and white and color prints of
varying sizes, contact sheets, postcards, a small number of papers created or kept by Magee and a small selection of
photographs from other Western Ways photographers, Manley Commercial Photography and the Buehman Collection. Many
negatives have little to no background information recorded. Materials in this collection date from 1902-1996, the
majority between 1930-1970, and document both aerial and ground views of Tucson, several cities across Arizona and
trips to California, Montana and Mexico.
The first series pertains to Tucson from 1902-1996 and is divided into seven sub-series organized at folder level and consists
of aerials of Tucson spanning several decades, airports and air shows in and around Tucson, a variety of buildings, ranches and
other locations including a large number of schools Magee completed electrical work at, views of the Tucson Gas, Electric Light
and Power Company plant and miscellaneous events and sights around Tucson like the Tucson Rodeo and its annual parade. The final
sub-series contains oversize reproductions of materials found in the first six sub-series.
The second series pertains to several cities across Arizona from 1930-1970 and is divided into three sub-series organized at folder
level. Magee did not record specific information such as dates for a bulk of these materials. The first series is organized by city
and the subjects found in each city vary greatly from aerials, businesses, dams, ghost towns, hotels, mills, mining, Native Americans,
ranches, scenery and schools. The second series consists of images of national and state parks and unidentified aerials, cacti,
ranches and scenery and the third series contains oversize reproductions of works from the first two sub-series.
The third series pertains to travel outside of Arizona from 1940-1960 and is divided into three sub-series organized at folder level.
The first sub-series includes popular destinations in California and scenes from McLeod, Montana. The second sub-series includes
photographs from a trip Gene and his wife Pauline Magee took to Mexico in 1936 or 1937 where they visited many of Father Kino's
missions, multiple cities, the country side, beaches and Rancho Alamo. The third sub-series contains oversize reproductions of
materials found in the first two sub-series.
The fourth series contains a small selection of printed materials including personal letters sent to Magee, a volume of
"Creative Ideas in Glass" containing a feature on an addition to the El Con Shopping Mall where Magee completed work
as an electrical engineer, a newsletter from the West University Neighborhood Association and a "special list stock cards."
Arrangement
This collection is organized into 4 series and 13 subseries:
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish
from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record,
the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The
user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Arizona Board of Regents for the
University of Arizona, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all
claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of
copyright.
This series has seven subseries. It contains mostly black and white and some color 35 mm, medium and large
format negatives and prints of varying sizes, printed materials, postcards and some color slides of locations
within the city of Tucson and the surrounding area.
This series is arranged alphabetically and described at folder level and contains black and white aerial
negatives and prints of various parts of Tucson spanning several decades taken during Magee's frequent flights
over the city. Prints in the identified folder note street names and are often dated by Magee.
box
folder
1
1
Downtown -- negatives and photos, circa 1970-1990
1
2
Identified -- negatives and photos, circa 1930-1990
This series is described at folder level and is arranged alphabetically. It contains mostly black and white
and some color negatives and prints including many aerial images from various early airports that have been
demolished, repurposed or remodeled, the first incarnation of the Tucson International Airport where Magee
worked as the engineer of record, air shows and a space shuttle launch.
box
folder
1
6
Avra Valley Air Show -- negatives and photos, 1984
1
7
Davis Monthan Air Force Base -- photo, circa 1940-1950
1
8
Gilpin Airport -- negatives, circa 1940-1950
1
9
Gilpin Airport -- photos, circa 1940-1950
1
10
Lockheed Hanger -- negatives and prints, 1993
1
11
Space Shuttle Launch -- negatives, 1986
box
folder
2
1
Tucson Airport -- Hodgin Family, Terminal -- negatives, circa 1940-1950
2
2
Tucson Airport -- Terminal -- negatives, circa 1940-1950
This series is described at folder level and is arranged alphabetically. It contains mostly black and white
and some color negatives and prints including some aerial images, printed materials and some color slides of
a variety of businesses, sport fields, popular destinations like San Xavier Mission and Saguaro National Park
and other buildings in Tucson, many of which Magee did electrical work for.
box
folder
2
6
Arizona Historical Society -- Manley Commercial Photography -- prints, circa 1960-1970
2
7
Arizona Inn -- print, undated
2
8
Arizona Sonora Desert Museum -- Western Ways -- negatives and prints, 1938, undated
2
9
Arizona Trust Company -- prints, undated
2
10
Baseball field (railroad tracks and Speedway) -- prints, undated
2
11
Colossal Cave -- negative and print, 1938
2
12
Congress St. Bridge Statues -- negatives, undated
2
13
DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun -- slides, 1961
2
14
Downtown: East side of Park at railroad tracks -- prints, 1992
2
15
Downtown: assorted buildings -- negatives and prints, undated
2
16
Elks Club / Snob Hollow -- prints, circa 1970-1980
2
17
Fort Lowell Site -- print, 1943
box
folder
3
1
General Electric -- Gates Learjet Lighting -- prints, printed materials, circa 1970-1980, undated
3
2
Hi Corbett Field -- negatives and prints, 1992-1993, undated
3
3
Infilco, South Campbell Ave. -- prints, undated
3
4
Lodge in the Desert -- negatives, undated
3
5
Miracle Mile -- prints, 1946
3
6
Old Tucson -- negatives and slides, 1958, undated
3
7
Plaza International -- print, undated
3
8
Pima County Court House, Western Ways / Peter Balestrero -- prints, circa 1950-1960
3
9
Pond's Mansion -- prints, 1946, 1995
3
10
Red & Blue Drive-In -- Arthur Brown -- negative, undated
3
11
Ranches: Desert Haven Trailer Court, Diamond W Ranch, Double A Ranch, Double U Ranch, Flying V Ranch, Rancho del Rio -- negatives, undated
3
12
Saguaro National Park -- negatives, prints and color slides, 1958, undated
3
13
San Xavier Mission -- negatives, prints and color slides, circa 1940-1950, undated
3
14
San Xavier Mission: Tucson Boys' Choir -- negatives, 1944
3
15
Sandpit at Speedway and Pantano -- print, undated
3
16
Softball Field: S. 3rd St. and 22nd St. -- prints, 1948
3
17
Southern Arizona Bank and Trust Co. -- negatives and prints, 1971, undated
3
18
St. Philips in the Hills Church -- negative and photo, undated
3
19
Tucson Carnegie Library / Tucson Children's Museum -- print, undated
3
20
Tucson City Hall -- print, circa 1960-1970
3
21
Tucson Community Center -- negatives, 1973
3
22
Tucson Fire Station Corner Park fire simulator -- negatives, undated
3
23
Tucson House Hotel -- negative and prints, circa 1960-1970
3
24
Tucson Rapid Transit Co. -- negatives, 1937-1944
box
folder
4
1
Tucson Rock and Sand Co. -- negatives, undated
4
2
Union Bank -- negative and prints, undated
4
3
VA Hospital -- prints, 1946
4
4
YMCA, W. Congress -- prints, undated
4
5
YMCA, 6th St. and 35th Ave. -- Manley Commercial Photography / Peter Balestrero -- prints, undated
This series is described at folder level and is arranged alphabetically. It contains mostly black and white and some color
negatives and prints and a postcard including aerial and interior images depicting schools throughout Tucson, including the
University of Arizona.
box
folder
4
6
Canyon del Oro High School Football Field -- negatives and prints, undated
4
7
Catalina High School Gym -- prints, undated
4
8
Gale Elementary -- prints, undated
4
9
John B. Wright School -- prints, undated
4
10
Marana High School -- negatives and prints, 1976, undated
4
11
Menlo Park School -- negatives, undated
4
12
Pima Community College aerials -- prints, 1971
4
13
Pima Community College Performing Arts Center (photographed by Robert Davis),
Communications Center and Art Gallery -- negatives and prints, 1991, undated
4
14
Pima Community College switchboard / transformer -- negatives and prints, undated
4
15
Sahuaro High School -- prints, 1971
4
16
Tucson High School -- negatives and postcard, 1989, undated
4
17
University of Arizona aerials -- negatives and prints, 1989, undated
4
18
University of Arizona Chemistry Building -- negatives and prints, 1973
4
19
University of Arizona Fine Arts Building -- negatives and prints, undated
box
folder
5
1
University of Arizona Main Library -- negatives and prints, 1978, undated
5
2
University of Arizona McKale Memorial Center -- negatives and prints, 1973
5
3
University of Arizona School of Medicine exterior and aerials -- negatives and prints, 1971, undated
5
4
University of Arizona School of Medicine interior -- negatives and prints, 1969, 1971, undated
5
5
University of Arizona Miscellaneous Buildings -- negatives and prints, 1968, 1975, undated
5
6
University of Arizona Optical Sciences Building -- negatives and prints, 1973
5
7
University of Arizona Science and Engineering Library -- negatives and prints, 1973, undated
This series is described at folder level and arranged alphabetically and contains not only some of the earliest
black and white negatives and prints made by Magee, but a selection of prints from the Buehman collection taken
in 1902 of the interior and exterior of the old Tucson Gas, Electric Light and Power Co. power plant. Also pictured
are several employees, aerial views of the plant and abstract images of industrial details in addition to small amount
of printed materials.
box
folder
5
8
Buehman photos, old power plant -- prints, 1902
box
folder
6
1
Fort Huachuca Pole Line -- prints, undated
6
2
Power plant aerials -- prints, 1950, undated
6
3
Power plant exterior -- prints, circa 1920-1930, undated
6
4
Power plant interior -- prints, circa 1920-1930, undated
6
5
Printed materials, 1902, 1925
6
6
Turbine and first power plant -- negatives, 1937, undated
This series is described at folder level and arranged alphabetically and contains black and white negatives
and prints. It contains miscellaneous subject matter within the city of Tucson like the Tucson Rodeo and parade
and baby owls.
box
folder
6
7
Baby Owls -- negatives, undated
6
8
Circus -- negatives, undated
6
9
Father Kino plaque at City Hall -- negatives, undated
6
10
Tucson area mountain ranges -- negatives and print, 1945-1949
6
11
Tucson Mid-Winter Rodeo -- negatives, undated
6
12
Tucson Rodeo Parade and Rodeo -- negatives and color slides, circa 1939-1950, 1963
6
13
Tucson Rodeo Parade and Rodeo -- negatives and prints, 1946-1947
6
14
Unidentified instrument -- print, undated
6
15
Vasquez, ornamental iron worker -- negatives and prints, undated
This series is described at box level and has no organization. It contains mostly black and white
and some color oversize reproductions of images from the first set of series within the collection.
box
6A
Contents include Arizona Stadium, Avra Valley Air Show, country scenery east of Rincons,
Canyon del Oro High School football field lighting, aerials of Downtown Tucson (some including
the rodeo parade) and views of buildings from the ground, aerials of Hi-Corbett Field, McKale
Center, Saguaro National Park, aerial of San Xavier Mission, Southern Arizona Bank and Trust Co.,
St. Phillips in the Hills Episcopal Church, Tucson Gas, Electric Light and Power Co., Tucson House,
aerials of University of Arizona Medical School and other aerial views of campus., circa 1930-1996
This series is described at folder level and is organized alphabetically by location. It contains color slides,
mostly black and white and some color 35 mm, medium and large format negatives and prints of varying sizes and
postcards of various subjects from businesses, mining and other industries, scenery, dams, ranches, schools,
Native American reservations and ghost towns within cities and counties across Arizona. Creation dates of the
materials were seldom noted by Magee.
box
folder
7
1
Ajo: Phelps Dodge Copper Mill, New Cornelia open pit mine -- negatives, undated
Oracle Junction: Am. Smelting and Roofing Co. -- negatives and prints, 1949
8
11
Patagonia: aerials, Circle Z Guest Ranch, Jeffcott Ranch, Wilshaw Ranch -- negatives, undated
8
12
Phoenix: Chris Town Center -- prints, 1961
8
13
Sahuarita: aerial of mill, Western Ways / M. T. Thomas -- print, 1946
8
14
Santa Cruz County, Nogales Highway: Howell Manning Ranch, Hugh Merryweather ranch house, Kenyon Ranch, Rancho Chiquito -- negatives, undated
8
15
Sedona: Chapel of the Holy Cross, wagon wheel -- negatives, 1938
8
16
Sells: Aerial, ball field, circus -- negatives and color slides, 1971, undated
8
17
Sells: Indian cowboys -- negatives (restricted), undated
box
folder
9
1
Show Low: Becker Butte, Charlson Sawmill, fish hatchery, Kinishba Curio, Nava-Pache Hospital, Ponderosa Park, Show Low scenics, Show Low Hospital -- negatives and prints, 1946, undated
9
2
Sierra Vista: Apaches, Western Ways -- negatives, prints, postcards(restricted), 1987, undated
9
3
Sierra Vista: Ft. Huachuca and housing, Western Ways -- negatives and prints, undated
This series is described at folder level and arranged alphabetically and contains mostly black and white and some
color negatives and prints and color slides from unidentified locations or national and state parks.
box
folder
10
5
Arizona National and State Parks: Chiricahua Mountains, Grand Canyon, Montezuma's Castle, Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, Sunset Crater, Walnut Canyon, Wupatki National Monument -- negatives and color slides, 1961, undated
10
6
Cacti -- negatives and color slides, circa 1960-1970, undated
This series is described at box level and has no organization. It contains mostly black and white and some color
oversize reproductions of images from the second set of series within the collection.
box
10A
Contents include Arivaca, AZ – scenery, Benson, AZ – drive-in movie theater, Elgin, AZ – scenery, Sedona, AZ – Chapel of the Holy Cross and wagon wheel, Willcox, AZ – Three Links Cattle Ranch, 1939-1950, 1975, 1984
box
10B
Sells, AZ – Apache Cowboy (Pablo) (restricted), undated
This series has three sub-series and contains black and white negatives and prints,
color slides and postcards from trips to California, Montana and Mexico.
This series is described at folder level and contains color slides, black and white negatives and
prints and postcards from Magee's travels outside of the state of Arizona to McLeod, Montana and
popular destinations in California.
box
folder
11
1
California: Death Valley -- negatives, 1940
11
2
California: Hearst Castle -- color slides, 1968
11
3
California: Mission San Juan Capistrano, Western Ways -- negatives and color slides, 1962, undated
11
4
California: Redwood Forest in Yosemite -- color slides, 1968
11
5
California: San Diego Zoo -- negatives, undated
11
6
California: Palm Springs and Palm Desert Area, Western Ways -- negatives, undated
11
7
Montana: McLeod postcards, Western Ways -- negatives, undated
This series is described at folder level and contains black and white negatives and prints from Gene and
Pauline Magee's trip to Mexico in 1936 or 1937.
box
folder
11
8
Father Kino's Missions: Caborca, Pitiquito, Tubutama, Atil, Oquitoa, St. Ignacio, Magdalena, Tumacacori, San Xavier, Western Ways -- prints, undated
11
9
Magdalena, St. Ignacio Mission, bell of Atil -- negatives and prints, undated
11
10
Mexico Trip -- negatives, 1936-1937
11
11
Mexico Trip -- negatives and prints, 1936-1937
11
12
Rancho Alamo -- negatives, 1940, undated
11
13
Towns: Guayamos, Playa de Cortes, Pitiquito -- negatives, undated
This series is described at box level and has no organization.
box
11A
Contains a three-page travel log written by Gene's wife Pauline Magee describing sights and
sounds from their trip to Mexico and black and white prints of Mexican city scenes, markets, cathedrals,
bull fights, Father Kino's missions, portraits of locals, country scenes, villages and Mesoamerican ruins.
The series also includes a few prints from California with images from Death Valley (1940) and one
image from Mission San Juan Capistrano, 1936-1937, 1940
This series is described at folder level and contains letters to Magee and miscellaneous printed materials
such as a West University Neighborhood Association newsletter and an issue of the magazine Creative Ideas in Glass.
