Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Camera for the Year 2000, 1968.

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

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In the late 1960s, Zeiss-Ikon designer Fritz Costabel was trying to wrap his brain around the Camera Of The Future. In an early 1968 issue of Photoguide Magazine, he described a machine capable of sending photos home wirelessly, radar auto-focusing, and push-button automation. A few months later, the camera above showed up in Mechanix Illustrated: the Zeiss-Ikon “Utopica”. Looking a phaser sidearm off the Star Trek set, the camera was a multifunction machine: it could both instantly print photos like a Polaroid, but also make movies on 16mm film. The un-ergonomic shape and the focus on analog film were a bit short-sighted, but he was just about right on. Cameras today are automatic, double-duty as movie cameras, and can instantly produce a photo and allow it to be sent all over the world – and it certainly would have blown his mind to know that all of that photographic futurism is today considered an add-on to a portable telephone.

German POWs in Minnesota, 1940s

Sunday, October 18th, 2009

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As World War II progressed, captured German soldiers were increasing in numbers, and the U.S. needed to do something with them. Numerous POWs were scattered throughout the country and used as labor. Algona, Iowa was the main POW camp in the United States, and several Germans were sent to Algona Branch Camp Number 1 — located in Clay County, Minnesota, just across the river from Fargo. Farm labor was scarce due to the number of men recruited for the military, so POWs helped in the cultivation and harvesting of the crops. This was not a forced labor program; the German soldiers were paid for their work. The above photo was taken at on the Paul Horn farm; Horn was chosen to take POWs because of his position on Clay County’s Farm Labor Advisory Board, and the fact he spoke German fluently. From an article in the 8/78 Binford’s Guide.

Dakota City, 1859.

Monday, September 14th, 2009

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In the 1850s, as what would become the Dakota Territory grew in population and industry, townsites were claimed in hopes of profiting on the westward expansion. Dakota City was one: at the confluence of the Sheyenne and Red Rivers, opposite Lafayette, Minnesota, it hoped to grow and flourish. Today, it no longer exists. The location of Lafayette (which also no longer exists) is well documented, but the original location of Dakota City is still inconclusive. Image above from an 1860 edition of Harper’s magazine, documenting a pre-Territory trip along the eastern border of Minnesota, a freshly-minted state at the time.

Barry Hall Dedication

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

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The day is nearly here: the reopening of what used to be the Pioneer Mutual Building, redesigned as Richard H Barry Hall, a part of NDSU’s ambitious downtown expansion. In case you didn’t know, I worked in that building from 1998 until 2004, and in that time I became more interested in the building’s history and the history of the A.O.U.W., including acquiring some films, documentation, receipts and policy paperwork. Don’t tell anyone, but I even grabbed a brick from the demolition of Pioneer East. The original building — a large office building for its time — is now a tiny, tiny part of a huge structure, and I’m becoming more impressed as time goes on to see its stature continue to grow and dominate the western edge of downtown Fargo. I plan on going to the dedication next month, and I intend to take pictures.

Indian Chiefs, 1949.

Friday, August 28th, 2009

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Two men, who don’t look particularly Native American, and with very European names, dressed up as Indian Chiefs for the Minnesota Centennial in 1949. From this set.

Women, Car, Dog, 1930s.

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

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Two women chatting by a car parked in the weeds, with a trusty dog at their feet, 1930s. From this set.

Farmyard Wagon, 1920s.

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

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Two children, playing with a wagon in the farmyard, 1920s. From this set.

Tiger Lily, 2007.

Thursday, June 11th, 2009


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Tiger Lily growing through a fence, 2007.

Swimming Under The Bridge, 1930s.

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009


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I’m not sure why: I’ve seen lots of pictures of people swimming, hanging out beneath a bridge. I figure it is to stay out of the sun, but it could also have to do with the ground being built up and cleared for the bridge, which makes a functional beach. This lady and her dog are cooling off in the river. 1930s.

IH TD-6 Crawler, 1940s.

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

A man and his boy riding a diesel International Harvester TD-6 caterpillar tractor. Appears 1940s. From this set.