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Digital Commons @ USF > USF Libraries > USF Digital Collections > Florida Studies > THC > Robertson and Fresh

Robertson and Fresh Collection of Tampa Photographs

Robertson and Fresh Collection of Tampa Photographs

 

The Robertson and Fresh commercial photographic firm was active in Tampa from 1932 to 1960. William Vernon "Red" Robertson worked in the field taking photographs while Harry Fresh processed and printed the images. Robertson and Fresh produced thousands of pictures that provide an invaluable visual record of the Tampa area from the Depression to the prosperous post-World War II era.

The bulk of USF's Robertson and Fresh collection came from a large collection of negatives acquired by the late Hampton Dunn for use in his Tampa: A Pictorial History; he later donated the collection to USF's Tampa Library. When Dunn donated the negatives to the library they were still in the large, multi-drawer metal cabinet that Robertson and Fresh had used to store them. Unfortunately, due to acetic acid decomposition accelerated by years of storage in conditions of high heat and humidity, many of the original negatives had disintegrated beyond recovery. Between 1994 and 1995, Charles Brown, president of the Tampa Historical Society, arranged for the printing of the approximately 1,500 surviving Robertson and Fresh negatives housed in Special Collections. Subsequently, Mrs. Verna Lee Lupo, daughter of William Robertson, donated several hundred additional negatives for integration into the library’s Robertson and Fresh Collection. Mr. Bob Baggett of Bob Baggett Photography generously provided the library with preservation prints of these negatives, many of which were in imminent danger of deterioration. Other prints of Robertson and Fresh images came from the Tony Pizzo Collection.

This digital collection was made possible by a generous gift from the Frank E. Duckwall Foundation in 1996.

Printing is not supported at the primary Gallery Thumbnail page. Please first navigate to a specific Image before printing.

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  • Building construction by Dell Webb Construction Company
  • Caldwell Bonded Warehouse located on South Franklin Street
  • The B & B Supermarket on 12th Street at night
  • 338 Ordnance Company - 52 Ordnance - BN - (AUN) - MacDill Field - Florida - February 27th 1941
  • An Interior of the Hotel Hillsboro
  • Construction at the Hotel Hillsboro
  • The Check-in desk at the Hotel Hillsboro
  • A Christmas window display at Ferman Motor Cars
  • The Adalia Court Apartments on Adalia Avenue
  • The Adalia Court Apartments on Adalia Avenue
  • Christmas with the Witt family
  • A Banquet dinner after the Women's Open Golf Tournament at the Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club
  • A Beautiful Tampa residence
  • A Billboard for Florida-Georgia Tractor Company
  • A boat just about to be launched
  • A Buick convertible passes the Exchange National Bank during a parade
  • A Building in Tampa
  • A Building in Tampa
  • A Building in Tampa
  • A Building in Tampa
  • A Building near the water
  • A Building on Bayshore Avenue
  • A Busy area for the railroad
  • A Calliope entered in the Children's Gasparilla Parade by Bryan School
  • A Candy machine at one of Tampa's fine theaters
  • A Car with a loud speaker announces J. G. Spicola's candidacy
  • A Case of Pepsi-Cola
  • A Chariot Race float passes by during the Children's Gasparilla Parade
  • A Church in Tampa
  • A Church in Tampa
  • A Cigar factory on 18th Street
  • A Cinderella float during the Gasparilla Parade
  • A Cityscape of Tampa with the old Civil War Memorial in the center
  • A Class picture
  • A Class picture
  • A Class picture
  • A Classroom in business at Hillsborough High School
  • A Commercial area in Tampa
  • A Concert during graduation ceremonies at the University of Tampa
  • A Contemporary style house in Tampa
  • A Cook in a commercial kitchen
  • A Couple in costume during a dance
  • A Crowd and a marching band during a gala premiere at the State Theater
  • A Crowd and a marching band during a gala premiere at the State Theater
  • A Crowd of children outside the J. C. Penney Company Store
  • A Crowning during a gala premier at the State Theater
  • A Dance after the play
  • A Department store display
  • A Diesel powered pump
  • A Display at a furniture store in Tampa, Florida
  • A Display at the Frigidaire Refrigeration Convention
  • A Dog breeder at his dog kennel
  • A Dredging barge awaits it's next job
  • A Drum Majorette during a gala premiere at the State Theater
  • A Drum majorette in a parade down Seventh Avenue in Ybor city
  • A Fishing boat in dry-dock along the Anclote River
  • A Flight attendant for National Airlines
  • A Float advertising the movie Cinderella, complete with the pumpkin coach during the Gasparilla Parade
  • A Float passes down Franklin Street during the Gasparilla Parade
  • A Float passes the County Court House and the Civil War Memorial during the Gasparilla Parade
  • A Float passes the Exchange National Bank during the Gasparilla Parade
  • A Float passes the Florida State Fairgrounds during the Gasparilla Parade
  • A Float passes the Wadnabe Hotel during the Gasparilla Parade
  • A Float with a human butterfly passes the Hillsboro Hotel during the Gasparilla Parade
  • A Float with a woman sitting on a polar bear during the Gasparilla Parade
  • A Float with a woman sitting on a polar bear during the Gasparilla Parade
  • A Float with two girls dressed as queens
  • A Florida barn style house
  • A Ford truck in the showroom of a Ford dealership
  • A Fruit Growers Express railroad car out west
  • A Game of horseshoes
  • A Garage and restaurant on Nebraska Avenue
  • A Gardner Asphalt Products truck looking like it was in an accident
  • A Geography class in session at Hillsborough High School
  • A Glimpse at the activity in Port Tampa
  • A Group about to board a bus
  • A Group mugs for the camera in front of a B34 military airplane
  • A Group mugs for the camera in front of a B34 military airplane
  • A Hart Concrete Products Company Truck outside the company
  • A Haymakers show display
  • A Herman Family Christmas card
  • A Hillsborough High cheerleader raises the spirits of the crowd during the game
  • A Hillsborough High production of "Oklahoma"
  • A Horse and cowboy at the check-in desk of the Tampa Terrace Hotel
  • A House in Tampa
  • A House on the Hillsborough River
  • A Jeep pulls a float with some of Jose Gaspar's pirates during the Gasparilla Parade
  • A Jeep "Woody" sitting outside the Rossotti Florida Lithograph Corporation
  • A Knight and Wall Company truck
  • A Lake Wales float in a parade
  • A Lake Wales float in a parade
  • A Large kitchen
  • A Large two story house with a yard
  • A Local business district
  • A Local Tampa diner
  • A Lykes Lines cargo ship docked in Tampa
  • A Lykes Lines cargo ship docked in Tampa
  • A Majorette leads the Children's Gasparilla Parade down Franklin Street
  • A Man at a large organ
 
  • Bob Deriso Service Inc. on Marion Street by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    Bob Deriso Service Inc. on Marion Street

  • Building construction by Dell Webb Construction Company by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    Building construction by Dell Webb Construction Company

  • Caldwell Bonded Warehouse located on South Franklin Street by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    Caldwell Bonded Warehouse located on South Franklin Street

  • The B & B Supermarket on 12th Street at night by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    The B & B Supermarket on 12th Street at night

  • 338 Ordnance Company - 52 Ordnance - BN - (AUN) - MacDill Field - Florida - February 27th 1941 by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    338 Ordnance Company - 52 Ordnance - BN - (AUN) - MacDill Field - Florida - February 27th 1941

  • An Interior of the Hotel Hillsboro by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    An Interior of the Hotel Hillsboro

  • Construction at the Hotel Hillsboro by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    Construction at the Hotel Hillsboro

  • The Check-in desk at the Hotel Hillsboro by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    The Check-in desk at the Hotel Hillsboro

  • A Christmas window display at Ferman Motor Cars by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    A Christmas window display at Ferman Motor Cars

  • The Adalia Court Apartments on Adalia Avenue by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    The Adalia Court Apartments on Adalia Avenue

  • The Adalia Court Apartments on Adalia Avenue by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    The Adalia Court Apartments on Adalia Avenue

  • Christmas with the Witt family by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    Christmas with the Witt family

  • A Banquet dinner after the Women's Open Golf Tournament at the Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    A Banquet dinner after the Women's Open Golf Tournament at the Palma Ceia Golf and Country Club

  • A Beautiful Tampa residence by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    A Beautiful Tampa residence

  • A Billboard for Florida-Georgia Tractor Company by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    A Billboard for Florida-Georgia Tractor Company

  • A boat just about to be launched by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    A boat just about to be launched

  • A Buick convertible passes the Exchange National Bank during a parade by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    A Buick convertible passes the Exchange National Bank during a parade

  • A Building in Tampa by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    A Building in Tampa

  • A Building in Tampa by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    A Building in Tampa

  • A Building in Tampa by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    A Building in Tampa

  • A Building in Tampa by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    A Building in Tampa

  • A Building near the water by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    A Building near the water

  • A Building on Bayshore Avenue by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    A Building on Bayshore Avenue

  • A Busy area for the railroad by Robertson and Fresh (Firm) and University of South Florida -- Tampa Campus Library

    A Busy area for the railroad

 

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