Visualizing History: Photographer Appreciation Month

October 22, 2024

This month we celebrate our appreciation for photographers. Whether amateur or professional, photographers are important to the historical record. At the Indiana Historical Society, we have millions of photographs representing many photographers. It was a struggle to decide which photographer’s collections to highlight. Here are the ones that I decided to share:

Photographs by Cephas Huddleston, Henry County, ca. 1900. IHS, P0159.

Cephas M. Huddleston spent most of his life in Henry County. The images in the collection depict the Spiceland Community. Huddleston was listed in several censuses with photographer as his official occupation. Additionally, we are clued to this by the fact that two of the photographs shown here appear to have been taken in a studio. This collection of his photographs includes people and places throughout the Spiceland area in Henry County.

Photographs by Ben Winans, Franklin County, early 20th century. IHS, P0468.

Ben Winans worked as a printer in Brookville, while mastering the art of photography. While he maintained his official profession in printing, his photography became part of his working life as well. He produced approximately 3,000 glass-plate negatives from 1902 to 1916. Much turn-of-the-century Brookville and Franklin County has been captured for all time by Winans.

Photographs by William F. Gingrich, Lake and Porter Counties, ca. 1925. IHS, P0305.

William F. Gingrich was primarily an educator in Chicago, Illinois. However, he had an interest and passion for photography as well. Gingrich’s collection of glass lantern slides show different views of the Indiana Dunes along Lake Michigan in Northern Indiana. These slides display the beauty of a part of Indiana that presents very different scenery compared to the rest of the state.

Martin’s Photo Shop Photographs, Vigo County, ca. 1925-1942. Martin Collection, IHS.

Martin’s Photo Shop was a commercial photography studio in Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana. The collection documents everyday life in Vigo County from 1921 to 1975 by showing fashions, modes of transportation, and civic and social events through portraits, group shots, and pictorial images of the area.

Indianapolis Recorder Photographs, Marion County, 1936-1965. Indianapolis Recorder Collection, IHS.

The Indianapolis Recorder is the longest continuously operated African American newspaper in Indiana. It regularly carried articles of interest to the African-American community statewide. The collection dates from circa 1900 to 1987. The Recorder’s photographers covered a wide variety of events, including sports, politics, community, business, entertainment, and more.

Carolyn McManaman slides, across Indiana, 1965-1970. IHS, P0586.

Carolyn McManaman’s color slide collection features over 200 images of Indiana courthouses, colleges, landmarks, and other scenes. Carolyn Elliott McManaman was a prolific amateur photographer from southeastern Indiana, near Cincinnati. She graduated from DePauw University in 1939 and was active in many Indiana organizations.

I hope you enjoyed the above collection highlights. Take some time to visit our Digital Collection and check out the wide breadth of images we have ready to view and purchase, or stop by the library to see those not yet digitized.

Continue to follow the IHS blog for more great content.

Amy Vedra is the director of reference services. She is currently reading her way through the Great American Reads list.

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