This post provides a chronological list of all known 19th century professional studio photographers in Ouray County between 1892 and 1900. See my earlier post for photographers working between 1880 and 1891. This post shows how quickly some studios changed hands. Did I miss any photographers? Can you provide any additional biographical details or photographs?
1892-1898 Micheal Brumfield (c. 1855-1922) Brumfield arrived in Ouray in 1890, working with John E. Gilbert as Brumfield & Gilbert. Brumfield split his time between Ouray and Silverton, making landscape views and portraits. The Ouray Herald reported on his panoramic view of Ouray produced in 1896. In December 1896, Powell briefly took over Brumfield’s Ouray studio. Brumfield returned to Ouray for the 1897 Christmas season. Johnson took over his studio in January 1898. Brumfield continued to operate out of Silverton until 1911. His portrait of the unidentified women (left) was likely made in the woman’s home, rather than a studio.
1896-1897 W. A. Powell succeeded Brumfield in November, 1896. He photographed Ouray’s July 3, 1897 snowstorm, selling more than 500 copies of the scene. Later that month, Powell and his wife left Ouray for Boise City, Idaho. His studio was taken over by the Reed boys.
1897 Reed No further information found.
1897-1898 Edward John Fowler, (1871-1927) E. F. Fowler was born on August 11, 1871, in Chicago. He attended the University of Michigan. In 1897 he produced a souvenir booklet entitled “Around & About Ouray.” No copies of this booklet are known to be extant. He was active in the Ouray Camera Club. By 1900 Fowler had moved to California where he worked as an engineer. Fowler died in San Francisco on October 19, 1927.
1898 Johnson, possibly R. H. In January 1898 Johnson advertised as “successor to Brumfield.” But in March 1898, Thomas McKee purchased the fixtures of this gallery.
Thomas M. McKee (1854-1939) McKee’s primary studio was located in Montrose, Colorado where he worked with his wife, Mrs. Amanda S. Kauffman McKee. He opened his Ouray quarters, about 35 miles south of Montrose, in January 1898.
Mrs. Amanda S. Kauffman McKee (1863-1919) Mrs. McKee ran her husband’s studio when he traveled.
George Dalgleish Dalgleish, worked in Georgetown and Silverton, and for a short time in Ouray. The Ouray Herald reported on October 13, 1898 that Dalgleish sold his Ouray gallery to Morton E. Chase.
Morton E. Chase (1861-1939) operated studios in Greeley and Colorado Springs before setting up shop in Ouray in October 1898. In 1902, Chase went to work for Brumfield in Silverton.
Una Wheeler After joining Ouray’s camera club, Wheeler perfected her skills to become a professional photographer.
1899-1900 Orlando Fred Tyler (1857-1917) In 1899, Tyler arrived in Colorado, setting up a studio in Ouray in the Opera House block. He advertised for a young lady to learn to finish photographs that November. In March 1900 he opened a photography school at his gallery, planning to teach amateurs how to use their Kodaks. By September 1900, Tyler had moved to Pueblo, Colorado.
Working Dates Unknown I have seen prints by both of the firms listed below at the Ouray Historical Society, but I have been unable uncover other details or date the studios. Ouray Art Gallery
Brumfield & Smith, a partnership of Michael Brumfield and an unknown individual named Smith.
Thank you to Gail Zanett Saunders, volunteer photo archivist, OCHS, for providing access to the work of several Ouray photographers during my visit. Additional thanks to Kathy Gibson for bringing Frank S. Balster to my attention. This research trip was possible due to the generosity of the The Peter E. Palmquist Memorial Fund for Historical Photographic Research.