Arthur J. Trory collection

Finding Aid

Prepared by Barbara Rodriguez, August 1997; Last Updated: June 2020

Inclusive Dates: 1895-1967
Extent: 18 cubic feet (63 boxes)
Physical Location: 11th floor

Biographical Note: Please see a biographical chronology of Arthur J. Trory's life as written in The Arthur J. Trory Photograph Collection: The Early Years, 1895-1927.

Scope and Content: The Arthur J. Trory collection has proven to be an invaluable asset to the Kent State University's Special Collections and Archives Collection for both its regional and overall historical importance. The photographic works that make up the bulk of this collection span a period of over seventy years and reflect a variety of styles from portraiture to nature scenes as well as reflecting the evolution of photography with materials like glass negatives and blue prints. The most popular of Trory's photographed subjects was his daughter, Betty Jeanne Trory, as well as his wife and friends. However, his extensive collection includes many photographs of importance to regional historians of Kent, Ohio, and the surrounding area. Also among the vast array of places depicted in the Trory collection are Wauseon, Ada (home of Ohio Northern University), and Hudson, Ohio.

The collection is comprised primarily of photographic prints and negatives. The remainder of the collection includes various artifacts and clippings accumulated by Arthur J. Trory throughout his life, many of which pertain to his passion of photography and his work as a pharmacist. Also included is a series of 200 mounted photograph reproductions from the 1976 exhibition, The Arthur J. Trory Photograph Collection: The Early Years, 1895-1927. The exhibition catalogue includes articles from several of the collection's many processors explaining the contents and importance of the collection.

Acquisition Information: This collection was donated to Kent State University by Trory's daughter, Betty Jeanne Trory McCormick in 1975-1976.

Arrangement: The collection is largely organized according to Trory's own system for organizing his photographic works into "People," "Places," and "Things" and utilizes Trory's numbering system. Thereafter are filed albums, negatives, and other contents of the collection.

• Detailed Finding Aids for the Collection