# Theodore Peiser > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Theodore_Peiser > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Theodore_Peiser.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Peiser > Source revision: 1332928359 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Theodore E. Peiser** (1853 - 1922) was an early photographer in [Seattle](/source/Seattle), Washington and the [Pacific Northwest](/source/Pacific_Northwest).[1] His studio and many of his photographs were lost in the [Great Seattle Fire](/source/Great_Seattle_Fire) of 1889.[2] His surviving photographs include one of the few photographs of the Seattle skyline from [Beacon Hill](/source/Beacon_Hill,_Seattle) before the fire[3] as well as the [Yesler-Leary Building](/source/Yesler-Leary_Building) in 1885, several years before it burned in the fire. He also captured the first and second Occidental Hotel buildings that preceded the [Seattle Hotel](/source/Seattle_Hotel) and [Sinking Ship](/source/Sinking_Ship). He also documented the debut of the first [Seattle Street Railway](/source/Seattle_Street_Railway) horse-drawn streetcar in 1884 with mayor [John Leary](/source/John_Leary_(politician)). Peiser photographed the memorial service for assassinated U.S. president [James Garfield](/source/James_Garfield) held in [Occidental Square](/source/Occidental_Square) in front of the [Occidental Hotel](/source/Seattle_Hotel#Precursor:_The_Occidental_Hotel,_I_and_II_(1861–1889)) on September 27, 1881. He also captured the territory's legislators in 1883. Peiser photographed the [Washington Husky football](/source/Washington_Husky_football) team in 1900, not long after statehood and the school's transition from being Territorial University of Washington. He also photographed [Arthur A. Denny](/source/Arthur_A._Denny)[4] and a then elderly pioneer [Carson D. Boren](/source/Carson_D._Boren). He captured images of the area's legislators, such as [Samuel H. Piles](/source/Samuel_H._Piles) addressing a crowd at the dedication of the [Alki Point Monument](/source/Alki_Point_Monument), and [Henry Yesler](/source/Henry_Yesler) and his wife, Sarah. Peiser photographed groups of students and faculty at the Territorial University (predecessor of [University of Washington](/source/University_of_Washington)). His images also included [Soapy Smith](/source/Soapy_Smith).[5] Peiser photographed sights at [Alki Point](/source/Alki_Point) including bathers at [Alki Beach](/source/Alki_Beach) and the Stockade Hotel on the day a pioneer monument ([Alki Point Monument](/source/Alki_Point_Monument)) was being dedicated.[6] He also photographed firemen[7] and community leaders such as businessmen.[8] Peiser lived at 7543 Sunnyside Avenue in Seattle. After the fire and its devastation to his business, he fell ill. His doctor advised him to move to California, and he planned to sell off his remaining photographic works and equipment.[2] Peiser moved to California in 1907. He died there in 1922. ## Writings and testimony Peiser included poetry in his newspaper advertisement. He wrote a July 1, 1919 column in *[The Evening News (San Jose)](/source/The_Evening_News_(San_Jose))* about Emerson P. Harris' book *Cooperation and the hope of the consumer* about combating high prices.[9] Peiser testified about the immigration of Japanese people to San Francisco in a congressional committee hearing in 1921. He recalled his time in Hawaii from 1879 until 1880 during the hearing and expressed fears about the immigration of Japanese people.[10] ## Work His work includes [cabinet photos](/source/Cabinet_photo). A collection of his photographs is held by the [University of Washington](/source/University_of_Washington).[2] ## See also - [Edward Sheriff Curtis](/source/Edward_Sheriff_Curtis) - [Asahel Curtis](/source/Asahel_Curtis) ## Further reading - [Seattle Now & Then: Peiser's Parade](https://www.pauldorpat.com/2011/12/03/seattle-now-then-peisers-parade/) ## References 1. ["::: Theodore E. Peiser Photographs of Washington State, ca. 1864-1910 :::"](https://content.lib.washington.edu/peiserweb/index.html). *content.lib.washington.edu* 1. ["Archives West: Theodore E. Peiser photographs, circa 1874-1905"](http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv94680). *archiveswest.orbiscascade.org* 1. ["Beacon Hill didn't beckon to too many pioneer photographers"](https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/beacon-hill-didnt-beckon-to-too-many-pioneer-photographers/). 24 May 2018. 1. ["From a vaulted bank to an underground bar"](https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/from-a-vaulted-bank-to-an-underground-bar/). Seattle Times. 1 February 2018. 1. Peiser, Theodore E (3 October 1898). *"Soapy Smith's" saloon, Skagway, Alaska*. [OCLC 67381596](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/67381596) 1. ["Stockade Hotel exterior at Alki Point on the day the pioneer's monument was dedicated, West Seattle neighborhood, Seattle, November 13, 1905 :: Theodore E. Peiser Photographs of WA State"](http://cdm16786.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/peiser/id/83). *cdm16786.contentdm.oclc.org* 1. ["Seattle Historical Photograph Collection"](https://proofing.spl.org/online-resources/seattle-culture-and-local-history/seattle-historical-photograph-collection?page=4). *proofing.spl.org* 1. ["From a vaulted bank to an underground bar"](https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/from-a-vaulted-bank-to-an-underground-bar/). 1 February 2018. 1. ["The Evening News - Google News Archive Search"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1982&dat=19190701&id=1dcxAAAAIBAJ&pg=903,40157). *news.google.com* 1. Committee On Immigration And Naturalization, United States. Congress. House (1921). ["Japanese Immigration: Hearings"](https://books.google.com/books?id=SVooc06LbFEC&q=theodore+peiser&pg=PA818) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Theodore Peiser](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Peiser) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Peiser?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.