Municipal Archives


Gittings Studio Portraiture Collection, 1931-1992

Collection 1992-017

Overview

Repository ​Dallas Municipal Archives
Office of the City Secretary
1500 Marilla Street, 5D South
Dallas, Texas 75201 
Creator Gittings Studio 
Title Gittings Studio Portraiture Collection
Dates 1931-1992 
Quantity One linear foot 
Abstract Black and white and color photographic prints of Dallas City councilmembers, mayors, and city managers​.
Identification 1992-017 
Language ​​Records are in English


Scope and Contents

​Collection consists of one album of black and white and color photographic prints of Dallas City Councilmembers, Mayors, and City Managers. 

Paul Gittings, Sr. was born in 1900 and at the age of 11, starting taking odd jobs to help support his family.  He ended up at the famed Bachrach Studios in Baltimore, taking a job as a plate boy and eventually becoming an esteemed photographer.   In 1928, he moved to Texas and opened studios in Dallas and Houston, purchasing the rights for these studios from Bachrach and opening them under his name, Gittings Studio.

The studio developed a style with an attention to detail and a focus on delivering quality and in 1963, Gittings opened a studio within Neiman Marcus. This location enabled Gittings to expand throughout the south, and the company became the official portrait studio of the Neiman Marcus brand.  Being affiliated with the most prestigious retailer in the nation turned into a clientele roster like no other including dignitaries, politicians, executives, and social elites.

During his career, he won many awards including the George Harris Award, Professional Photographers of America; Fellowship, Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain; Fellowship, Photographic Society of America; Fellowship, American Society of Photographers; and First American Licentiate member, British Institute of Photography.  He also gave back to his profession and was instrumental in establishing and funding the International Photography Hall of Fame.

Although Mr. Gittings passed away in 1988, and in 1998, Greg Lorfing acquired Gittings Studios.  [Source:  Gittings Company history]

Organization

Images are filed in approximate chronological order and include subjects' dates in office, followed by image negative number when available.

Access​

Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use by any and all other current or future developed methods or procedures must be obtained in writing from the Dallas Municipal Archives.  All rights are reserved and retained regardless of current or future development or laws that may apply to fair use standards.

Citation

Gittings Studio Portraiture Collection, 1931-1992 (Box <x>, Folder <y>), Dallas Municipal Archives.

Related Material

2003-005 City of Dallas Mayor Portraits, 1894-2001
2003-003 Dallas City Council Portrait, 1963

Index Terms

Dallas -- Texas -- History  
Dallas (Tex.) -- City Council 
Dallas (Tex.) -- City Managers 
Dallas (Tex.) -- Mayors 

Container List

BoxItemTitle, Date
11Councilmember W.H. Painter (1931-1935), DAC1556, #6
 2Councilmember Joe C. Thompson (1931-1935), DAC1316R, #10R
 3Mayor Woodall Rodgers (1939-1947), unidentified negative
 4Councilmember M.M. Straus (1939-1947), NMN5259, #5
 5Councilmember Ashley Dewitt (1947), DAC1312, #11
 6Councilmember Wallace H. Savage (1947-1949); (1949-1951), DAC1705, #10
 7Councilmember and City Manager Roderic B. Thomas (1947-1950); (1953-1955), NMN7105, #13
 8Councilmember W. H. Pierce (1949-1951), DAC1580, # 5
 9Councilmember L. H. Rideout (1951-1952), DAC1543, #3
 10Councilmember Vernon S. Smith (1953-1955), DAC1559), #4
 11Councilmember W. C. (Dub) Miller (1953-1955), NC20742, #1
 12Councilmember Robert L. Thornton (1953-1961), DAC1693, #10
 13Councilmember Tom Unis (1957-1959), DAC1137, #12
 14Councilmember Joe Geary (1959-1961) no photo
 15Councilmember Walter H. Cousins (1959-1962), NMN9538, #3
 16Councilmember Elgin B. Robertson (1959-1963), DG1763, #8
 17Councilmember Charles S. Sharp (1961-1963), DAC1245, #5
 18Mayor Earle Cabell (1961-1964), NMN5417, #15
 19Councilmember George M. Underwood (1961-1965), NMN5401R, #8R
 20Mayor J. Erik Jonsson [with Margaret Jonsson] (1961-1971), NMN7815, #11
 21Councilmember Tracy H. Rutherford (1963-1965), DG5708, #11
 22Councilmember Frank A. Hoke (1965-1969), NMN10853, #1
 23Councilmember Henry Stuart (1968-1969), NMN6965, #13
 24Councilmember Doug Fain (1969-1973), NMN11722, #6
 25Councilmember Garry Weber (1969-1976), NMN10710, #8
 26Councilmember Fred Zeder (1971-1973), DAC1835, #2
 27Councilmember Russell Smith (1971-1975), NMN7345, #10
 28Councilmember Jerry Gilmore (1971-1975), NMN10692, #1
 29Councilmember Charles H. Storey (1973-1975), NMN10693, #13
 30Councilmember L. A. Murr (1973-1975), NMN10695, #2
 31Councilmember William F. Nicol (1975-1979), NMN7406, #10
 32Councilmember John Leedom (1975-1979), NMN8448, #11
 33Councilmember Wiliam E. Cothrum (1965-1969), NMN10978, #6
 34Councilmember Robert Folsom (1976-1977), NMN10800R, #11R
 35Councilmember Bill Blackburn (1976-1979), NMN11323, #5
 36Councilmember John A. Walton (1977-1979), NMN11584, #1
 37Mayor Robert Folsom (1977-1981), NMN11343, #4
 38Councilmember Don Hicks (1977-1983), NMN11577, #4
 39Councilmember Sid Stahl (1980-1983), D00807, #3R
 40Councilmember Joe Haggar (1980-1983), no photo
 41Councilmember Rolan Tucker (1980-1983), E00744, #88
 42Councilmember Fred Blair (1980-1984), DPA71073, #6
 43Councilmember Max Goldblatt (1980-1985), NMN13088, #2
 44Councilmember and Mayor Wes Wise (1969-1971); (1971-1973), DPA70188, #11
 45Mayor Jack Evans (1981-1983), E01629, #40
 46Councilmember and Mayor Annette Strauss (1983-1985); (1987-1991), E01964, #13
 47Councilmember Jim Richards (1983-1987), DPA71068, #4
 48Councilmember Dean Vanderbilt (1983-1988), DPA71069, #11
 49Councilmember Craig Holcomb (1983-1989), DPA71072, #16
 50Councilmember Jerry Rucker (1983-1989), DPA71071, #13
 51Councilmember Al Lipscomb (1984-1991); (1995-2000), DCP45519, #2
 52Councilmember Diane Ragsdale (1984-1991), DCP44797, #10
 53Councilmember Bill Milkie (1985-1987), DCP46404, #14
 54Councilmember John Evans (1985-1991), DCP46227, #12
 55Councilmember Lori Palmer (1985-1991), DCP46237, #12
 56City Manager Richard Knight (1986-1990), D00536, #9
 57Councilmember Al Gonzales (1987-1989), D00406, #8
 58Councilmember Charles Tandy (1987-1991), D00463, # 89
 59Councilmember Max Wells (1988-1991), D01564, #6
 60Councilmember Glen Box (1989-1991), D01989, #88
 61Councilmember Harriet Miers (1989-1991), D02021R, #8R
 62City Manager Jan Hart (1990-1993), E03902, #21
 63Mayor Steve Bartlett (1991-1995), E04729, #31
 64Councilmember Larry Duncan (1991-1999), E04700R, #19R
 65Councilmember Paul Fielding (1991-1997), E04701R, #4R
 66Councilmember Domingo Garcia (1991-1995), E04725, #7
 67Councilmember Donald Hicks (1991-1999), E04690, #6
 68Councilmember Donna Halstead (1991-1996), E04801, #18
 69Councilmember Chris Luna (1991-1997), E04689, #12
 70Councilmember Charlotte Mayes (1991-1999), E04734, #11
 71Councilmember Mattie Lee Nash (1991-1993), E04766, #4