The William B. Coxe
Collection contains over 100,000 historical prints and negatives of the early
images of Greenville, South Carolina. Coxe, a professional photographer and a
pilot, achieved national recognition for his aerial photography. In 1937, he was
the only South Carolina photographer invited to participate in the National Photographers'
Exposition in Chicago.
Coxe shot newsreels for MGM, was the official photographer
for Southern Textile Expositions, and covered area textile communities activity,
sports events for local schools, and photographic work for corporate and governmental
agencies.
During the course of his career, he also purchased old prints
and negatives from other photographers for his collection along with taking a
plethora of photographs himself. The walls of his professional studio were lined
with portraits of families, businessmen and celebrities of the day including Jack
Dempsey; John Philip Sousa, Charles Lindbergh; Captain Eddie Rickenbacker; and
"Shoeless Joe" Jackson.
The prestigious collection includes prints and negatives
covering a period from the late 1800's through the late 1900's. It also includes
portraits of women and children taken by his daughter, herself a professional
photographer. The heirs of Mr. Coxe donated the collection to the Greenville County
Historical Society which retains the rights to all pictures contained in the collection.
PRINTS
AVAILABLE
Purchasing a photograph from the collection helps to defray
the cost of maintaining and preserving the collection as well as to help continue
the work of the Greenville County Historical Society. Print prices are $15 for
an 8 1/2 x 11. Prices are subject to change. Federal copyright laws apply.
