Henry Hebard West was a Los Angeles resident, Southern Pacific Railroad employee, and candid photographer. His photograph album contains images of Los Angeles and vicinity, but also includes many photos of travels to Northern California, the Midwest, and New England. Most of the photos are portraits of the West family in Los Angeles, where they lived at 240 S. Griffin Avenue, in a house built by the photographer's father. The photos provide a first-hand look at the architecture, interior decoration, furniture, clothing, hair styles, and transportation of the period. They document the life of the West family over a span of forty years, as they age, marry, raise children, enjoy outings to nearby city parks, beaches, hotels, and missions, and vacation together in Northern California, returning again and again to places like Yosemite, Silver Lake, Gem Lake, June Lake, Convict Lake, and Minnelusa to camp; sled; hike; trout fish; and hunt deer, rabbits, doves, and sage hens.
An out-of-focus photograph, from left to right, of H. H. West and Dr. Bim Smith sitting at the West's dining table during a birthday dinner for Bim Smith and H. H. West. H. H. West and Dr. Bim Smith sit on the far side of the table in the near distance at center. They are viewed level with the top of the table. H. H. West sits at left and looks to the camera while resting an arm over the back of his chair. He wears a top hat. Bim sits to the right of him and looks towards the camera. A birthday cake sits in front of him on the table. At far the right, someone (looks to be Agnes Whitaker) dons a top hat and is captured in motion. Glasses and flatware sit atop the table. A tablecloth drapes over the front edge of the table in the foreground. One person sits on the near side of the table at right. They are in partial view with only their knees jutting into the image from the lower right corner. The seat of an empty chair juts into frame from the lower left corner. In the background, a large fireplace sits to the left of H. H. West, a bookshelf stands behind and to the left of Bim Smith and a wide doorway leads into another room at right.
