Series 1: Personal Papers, 1954-1983

This series contains papers, correspondence, reports, by-laws, newspaper clippings, and periodicals relating to Hugh L. Robertson’s career with the Fairfax County Fire Department. Also included is a press release and a letter from the Embassy of Pakistan granting Robertson press credentials to cover the Prime Minister of Pakistan’s United States visit in 1954.

Series 2: Photographs, 1948-1971

Sub-Series 2-1: Fairfax County Fire Department, 1957-1971 Robertson took many photographs throughout his career of scenes involving the Fairfax County Fire Department. Included in this series are photographs of fire vehicles from the Bailey’s Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department, Franconia Volunteer Fire Department, Lorton Volunteer Fire Department, McLean Volunteer Fire Department, and the Vienna Volunteer Fire Department as well as the fire board at the Central Fire Control Station. Photos of the groundbreaking of the Reston Fire Station and dedication of the Vienna Fire Station are also included as well as scenes from the Virginia State Firemen’s School. Subjects also include car accidents, crime scenes, fire scenes, and portraits of firefighters. Some of the negatives for these prints may be found in sub-series 3-1.

Sub-Series 2-2: Crane Co., Undated Crane Co., a plumbing and heating supply firm, opened a new Washington branch location at 10700 Hanna Street in Beltsville, Maryland in 1954. The firm previously operated its Washington branch at 1225 I Street N.W. since the 1920s. The new building had an enclosed warehouse area, offices, display room and was located near a railroad siding. It can be presumed that the photographs in this series are of the newly opened building. Of particular note is that Kahlil Daoud Ackad was the Washington branch manager for Crane Co. from 1950-1959. K.D. Ackad was the brother of Abdon Daoud Ackad, owner of Ackad Studios of which Hugh Robertson photographed for.

Sub-Series 2-3: Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, 1948-c.1950s Photographs in this series depict scenes from Washington D.C., Maryland or Virginia. Subjects include scenes from the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America in Washington D.C.; a Chrysler Dealership; the Old Barry Chapel cornerstone in St. Dominic Catholic Church in Washington D.C.; Rock Creek Park; the Noyes Armillary Sphere in Meridian Hill Park; Chapman’s Mill in Broad Run, Virginia; and the “Avenue of Progress” Celebration ribbon cutting of the George Avenue underpass in Silver Spring, Maryland. Also included are a series of photos of a church cornerstone laying service presided over by Archbishop Michael, leader of the Greek Church in North and South America. The Washington D.C. church depicted is either Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church or St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church both of which were presided over by Archbishop Michael between 1951 and 1952.

Sub-Series 2-4: Embassy of Pakistan, Washington, D.C., c.1953-1955 In October 1954, when Hugh L. Robertson worked for Ackad Studios, he covered the Prime Minister of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Bograthe’s visit to Washington on behalf of the Pakistan Embassy. Earlier that year in May, he photographed the wedding of Capt. Azhar H. Sadik and Dr. Iffat Nafis Shoaib, daughter of Mohamed Shoaib, the Executive Director of the World Bank, in the Pakistan Embassy. Photographs also included in this series are of a social event at the Pakistan Embassy of which Vice President Richard M. Nixon and his wife, Pat Nixon, attended. Of particular note is the photograph of Richard Nixon smoking a hookah.

Sub-Series 2-5: Dumont Television Network Unknown Television Episode, c. 1950s Photographs in this series depict the filming of a television episode from an unknown DuMont Television Network series. The show features three Indonesian women dressed in cultural garb. The women interact with the host on set and perform dancing routines. DuMont had a television studio in Washington D.C. and operated locally as WTTG, channel 5.

Sub-Series 2-6: Post-World War II Asia, 1947 During World War II, Hugh L. Robertson served on tank landing ships in the Pacific Arena from 1944-1946. The photographs in this series depict post-war China and Japan. Subjects include Qingdao, China; Tokyo, Japan; Yokosuka, Japan; and Mount Fuji. The photographs are dated 1947 in what appear to be Robertson’s handwriting. The U.S. Navy discharged Robertson in 1946, so it is possible that these photographs are misdated or not even photographed by Robertson himself.

Sub-Series 2-7: Unidentified, Undated Photographs in this series are unidentified and feature portraits, houses, weddings, social events, and scenery. These photographs were taken by Robertson while he was in photography school and later working for Ackad Studios.

Series 3: Negatives, 1948-1959

Sub-Series 3-1: Fairfax County Fire Department, 1954-1959 Robertson took many photographs throughout his career of scenes within the Fairfax County Fire Department. The negatives in this series depict scenes involving the Annandale Volunteer Fire Department, Burke Volunteer Fire Department, Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire Department, Fairfax Volunteer Fire Department, Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, Herndon Volunteer Fire Department, Jefferson Volunteer Fire Department, Lorton Volunteer Fire Department, McLean Volunteer Fire Department, and Central Fire Control Station. Subjects of particular interest include the controlled burn of Ossian Hall; billboard signage of the McLean Carnival which was hosted by the McLean VFD; the dedication of the Vienna Fire Station; a wedding of a firefighter at Saint John’s Episcopal Church in Centreville, Virginia; the Washington D.C. Fire Prevention Parade of which the Fairfax County Fire Department participated; and a barn fire which may have been J. Preston Rogers’ McLean, Virginia barn that burned on October 27, 1954. Subjects also include car accidents, crime scenes, fire scenes, and portraits of firefighters. Some of the negatives in this collection have their accompanying prints in sub-series 2-1.

Sub-Series 3-2: Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, 1948, Undated Negatives in this series depict scenes from Washington D.C., Maryland or Virginia. Subjects include scenes from Great Falls Park; the Noyes Armillary Sphere at Meridian Hill Park; an unknown masonic lodge in Fairfax County; and scenes from the September 11, 1948 “Avenue of Progress” Celebration of the George Avenue underpass dedication in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Sub-Series 3-3: Family Life, c. 1959, Undated These negatives depict scenes from Hugh L. Robertson’s family life at home at 6907 Pine Crest Avenue in McLean, Virginia. Also included are snow scenes of Dead Run Stream which ran near Robertson’s house and two separate portraits of him.

Sub-Series 3-4: Post-World War II Asia, Undated The negatives in this series were presumably taken just after World War II by Hugh L. Robertson while serving on a tank landing ship in the Pacific Arena. The subjects are street scenes in an unidentified location in Japan.

Sub-Series 3-5: Unidentified, 1956, Undated Negatives in this series are unidentified and feature portraits, social events, a farm, a church, and a storefront. These photographs were taken by Robertson while he was in photography school and later while working for Ackad Studios.