Table of Contents
- Collection Summary
- Biographical Note
- Scope and Content Note
- Subject Headings
- Related Material
- Administrative Information
- Access and Use
- Encoding Information
- Arrangement
- Series List
- Container List
Collection Summary
| Repository: | Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries |
|---|---|
| Creator: | McKenna, Rosalie Thorne |
| Title: | Rosalie Thorne McKenna Papers |
| Dates: | 1948-1983 |
| Quantity: | 1.5 cubic feet (6 boxes) |
| Abstract: | The collection consists primarily of photographs taken by American photographer Rosalie Thorne "Rollie" McKenna (1918-2003) that document life and events at Vassar College during the 1950s and 1960s, including contact sheets, negatives, and prints. It also includes photographs taken by McKenna of Springside National Historic Site, Matthew Vassar's former estate in Poughkeepsie, as well as correspondence with the National Park Service. |
Biographical Note
Rosalie Thorne "Rollie" McKenna was an American photographer, best known for her portraits of notable poets, authors, and artists. Born in 1918 in Houston, Texas, McKenna spent the majority of her childhood and adolescence moving around the United States to stay with different relatives. In 1936, she began attending Vassar College, where she graduated in 1940 with a degree in history. She served in the U.S. Navy for several years during World War II and afterwards returned to Vassar in 1948 to pursue a Master's in Art History. She spent the subsequent decades as an independent photographer specializing in architectural and portrait photography. As a photographer, McKenna is best known for her portraits of writers and artists, including poets T.S. Eliot and Elizabeth Bishop, artists Laura Gilpin and John Minton, as well as conductor Leonard Bernstein and actor James Earl Jones. Exhibitions of her work were featured at the National Portrait Galleries in Washington, D.C. and London. McKenna eventually settled down in Stonington, Connecticut in the 1980s and died in Northampton, Massachusetts in 2003 at the age of 84.
TopScope and Content Note
The collection consists primarily of photographs taken by American photographer Rosalie Thorne "Rollie" McKenna (1918-2003) that document life and events at Vassar College during the 1950s and 1960s, including contact sheets, negatives, and prints. McKenna also photographed "Springside," Matthew Vassar's former estate in Poughkeepsie, New York, in cooperation with the National Park Service. These photographs are included with Springside's entry in the National Register of Historic Places.
TopArrangement
The collection is organized into two series: Series I. Poughkeepsie, New York, 1948-1969; and Series II. Vassar College, 1948-1983. TopAccess and Use
Access
This collection is open for research according to the regulations of the Vassar College Archives and Special Collections Library without any additional restrictions.
Restrictions on Use
Permission to quote (publish) from unpublished or previously published material must be obtained as described in the regulations of the Vassar College Archives and Special Collections Library.
Subject Headings
Organizations:
- National Historic Landmarks Program (U.S.)
- Vassar College
Subjects:
- Photographers--United States
- Women photographers--United States
Places:
- Poughkeepsie (N.Y.)
Document Types:
- Contact sheets
- Correspondence
- Negatives (photographs)
- Photographs
VCL Categories:
- Art and Artists
- Local History
- Vassar College
Administrative Information
Preferred Citation
Rosalie Thorne McKenna Papers, Archives and Special Collections Library, Vassar College Libraries.
Processing Information
Processed by Emma Gronbeck, September 2024.
Acquisition Information
Acquired from the Rosalie Thorne McKenna Foundation via Hemenway and Barnes LLP. (M2012-009)
Series List
Series I. Poughkeepsie, New York, 1948-1969 | |
|---|---|
| This series contains correspondence and photographic materials related to "Springside"--Matthew Vassar's estate--and its designation as a National Historic Site, as well as photographic materials and writings related to Poughkeepsie's Waterfront Park. | |
| This series is arranged alphabetically by title. |
Series II. Vassar College, 1948-1983 | |
|---|---|
| This series contains negatives, contact sheets, and photographic prints related to Vassar College, including campus architecture, events, students, classes, faculty, and alumnae. Some printed materials related to McKenna's work are also included. | |
| This series is organized into three subseries by format, and sub-arranged alphabetically by title. |
Container List
Return to the Table of Contents
Details
The collection consists primarily of photographs taken by American photographer Rosalie Thorne "Rollie" McKenna (1918-2003) that document life and events at
Vassar College during the 1950s and 1960s, including contact sheets, negatives, and prints. It also includes photographs taken by
McKenna of Springside National Historic Site, Matthew Vassar's former estate in
Poughkeepsie, as well as correspondence with the National Park Service.
