The photographs in Series 2696 were either taken by or collected by the Commission's Engineering Division as part of its responsibility to appraise the facilities of electric, water, power, and telephone utilities from the turn of the century through the 1930s. Beyond documenting the facilities themselves, the photographs have value because they also show the utility's immediate neighborhood. Although the photographs are documentary and seldom aesthetic, they represent areas of the community not often photographed. In addition, most of the series is arranged alphabetically by community name, which further facilitates their use by community historians. Typical exterior views in the series include streetscapes, office buildings, telephone exchanges, power substations, urban and rural telephone lines, trolley lines and barns, dams and water reservoirs, and boats and harbors.
Some views illustrate accidents and storm damage.
Additional photographs document building interiors and include such equipment as turbines and telephone switchboards.