Archives Photographic Collections

The NMSU Library Archives and Special Collections houses about one million items in its photographic collections, with materials that cover more than 150 years of image making in New Mexico, the U.S./Mexico border region and the Southwest. The photographs provide visual documentation of all aspects of the region’s history, with an emphasis on the unique cultural heritage of the area. The collections provide striking visual representation of social history, material culture, ranching, mining, agriculture, water and irrigation, the development, expansion and sometimes abandonment of population centers, and the landscape of New Mexico. The materials come from family photograph collections as well as the collections of several major southern New Mexico photographic studios. Nearly all photographic processes are represented in the collections, from daguerreotypes and other cased images, negatives on glass and film, and a multitude of print processes, to digital photography. The extensive University Archives photograph collection contains images documenting the history of New Mexico State University, from its formation to the present day.

These images are provided for reference use only. The electronic availabilty of material does not imply permission to cite, quote or publish. No materials may be published in any format without written permission.

Please send questions or comments to: archives@lib.nmsu.edu

Rio Grande Historical Collections
New Mexico State University Library MSC 3475 * P.O. Box 30006 * Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003-3006
Telephone: 575-646-3839 FAX: 575-646-7477