Selections from the Collection: Howard Colby’s Shasta Dam

W. Howard Colby (1908-1982) was not the first photographer on the Shasta Dam project. That honor goes to B. D. Glaha, whom the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation hired in 1936 to do a photo reconnaissance of the proposed site of the Dam and lake. Nor was Colby the only other photographer documenting the project. For example, the documentary The Golden Valley was filmed from the Goodyear Blimp. Howard Colby is, however, the photographer whose Shasta Dam construction photos are the most widely recognized. Day in and day out from 1938 to 1945 and beyond, he captured all aspects of the project, from majestic shots of the growing structure to the staff eating in the mess hall. But this magical pairing of photographer and subject nearly didn’t happen.

Colby, a self-taught photographer with a background in construction and a degree in economics, moved his family to Redding in 1938, determined to be for Shasta Dam what Peter Stackpole had been for Boulder Dam. What he did not know was that Construction Superintendent Frank Crowe had no intention of letting a photographer on the project because he had not liked working with Stackpole. Howard changed Crowe’s mind. “I took pictures of Crowe’s men working. I never took photos of them relaxing. [He] didn’t want [his people] just leaning on shovels. He wanted action shots.” (Howard Colby) With the help of the top engineers on the project, he had a set of his photos presented to Crowe, who hired him on the spot.

Just as no subject was unremarkable, no spot was inaccessible. Colby maneuvered around the Dam carrying a 40-pound 8” x 10” format Kodak camera, a wooden tripod, film holders, and the rest of his gear. He also used a 4” x 5” format camera for some shots. This combination of a large format camera and Howard’s skill produced crystal-clear, high-resolution photos with incredible details. The negatives are a pleasure to scan and print because they blow up beautifully, and it is fun to zoom in on tiny details. While Howard took photos, did survey work, and drafted blueprints of heavy equipment, his wife Kay taught the children of Dam workers and those who came to provide services for the vast project.

Like many of those families, the Colbys stayed in Redding after the Dam was complete and raised their son, David. Howard spent a few years working in various jobs, including as a foreman at Shasta Box Company. He did another photography stint with the Bureau of Reclamation before opening his photo studio in 1951. In 1960, he chose to go back to school to get a teaching credential and then a master’s degree. He taught English and Journalism at Enterprise High School until he retired in 1973. In 1985, Kay Colby donated his negatives to the Redding Museum and Art Center (now Turtle Bay) and the Shasta Historical Society. We are very fortunate to have this archive of a project that shaped our region and California’s water supply.