Friday, February 2, 2024

Kansas Cabinet Cards - Cities: F - G

Included on this special set of pages are Cabinet Card examples from just one state, Kansas. A sort of index. They are presented here in alphabetical order according to location.

Why Kansas?

In 1865, when the Cabinet Card size for photo mounts began its popularity, Kansas had only been a state for 4 years. Even today there are less than 400 towns with a population over 200. Back then, even fewer. Where a Cabinet Card carries the name of the photographer and the town where he was working, the dates of city incorporation will be one clue to the date of the cabinet card.

Cabinet Cards were so popular and well known that in some photographer’s newspaper ads of the era, they were referred to merely as “Cabs”.

Most say they eventually surpassed the popularity of the Carte de Viste format. See a brief history of the Carte de Viste.

Photographers often lived and based in a larger town and “worked” the neighboring smaller towns monthly or weekly. The passenger trains were very handy back then.

Where further information on a photographer is known, a link will be provided.

The central purpose in these pages is to help place a date on cabinet cards done by various photographers in various places. Here’s hoping you spot a card design or imprint that will help you date and identify that card in your collection.

These pages are for educational and informational purposes only. Any helpful suggestions are welcomed.

Kansas Cities, Towns, Burgs and Whistlestops in the late 19th century.

Promoting the care, understanding and collection of this unique format of 19th century photography. They are more than 100 years old. Handle with care.

Some examples on this page have been enhanced or restored for clarity and presentation here.

This page is free for educational and research purposes only but, as always, if the original owner of any of these examples objects to the use on this page, just let me know and they will be immediately removed.

See also:
Owlcation is an excellent site which examines the Kansas photographers of the 19th century. Follow the link

Fort Scott, KS
photographer: D L Cook
Fort Scott, KS
example from auction site
photographer dated: 1891
(Don't you wish they had ALL done this?)
photographer: D L Cook
Fort Scott, KS
example from auction site
photographer dated: 1892
photographer: D L Cook
Fort Scott, KS
example from auction site
photographer dated: 1892
photographer: D L Cook
Fort Scott, KS
example from auction site
photographer dated: 1893
photographer: D L Cook
Fort Scott, KS
example from auction site
photographer dated: 1895
photographer: D L Cook
Fort Scott, KS
example from auction site
photographer dated: 1897
photographer: D L Cook
Fort Scott, KS
example from auction site
photographer dated: 1898
photographer: D L Cook
Fort Scott, KS
example from auction site
photographer dated: 1898
photographer: Dabbs
Fort Scott, KS
example from pinterest
photographer: Dabbs
207 Market, Fort Scott, KS
example from Between the Covers
photographer: Tesslar
Fort Scott, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Tesslar and Gifford
Fort Scott, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Tesslar and Gifford
Fort Scott, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Tresslar and Gifford
Fort Scott, KS
example from mj aux on Flickr
photographer: C H Wareham
209 Market Street, Fort Scott, KS
example from auctin site
(really low res scan)
photographer: C H Wareham
203-205 Market Street, Fort Scott, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Wareham
203-205 Market Street, Fort Scott, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Wareham
203-205 Market Street, Fort Scott, KS
example from auction site
photographer: C H Wareham
For Scott, KS
example from auction site
photographer: C H Wareham
Fort Scott, KS
example from picklick

Note the same props were used in the three cards at the left

Photographer: R A Williams
First and Main, Fort Scott, KS
examle from pinterest
Photographer: R A Williams
First and Main, Fort Scott, KS
examle from pinterest
Photographer: R A Williams
First and Main, Fort Scott, KS
examle from auction site
Frankfort, KS
photographer: B T Rice
Frankfort, KS
example from auction site
photographer: B T Rice
Frankfort, KS
example from auction site
photographer: B T Rice
Frankfort, KS
example from auction site
reverse of card at left
photographer: B T Rice
Frankfort, KS
example from auction site
photographer: B T Rice
Frankfort, KS
example from auction site
(blind stamp)
Fredonia, KS

Photographer: D A Loomis
Fredonia, Kans.
example from LOST GALLERY
Galena, KS
photographer: Colvin
Galina, KS
example from pin
Lydia Hills of Galena, KS
example from auction site

Galena, KS, Newspaper mentions of Lydia Hills as photographer were found from 1893 to January of 1897. She died in January of 1897.

Garden City, KS
photographer: G H Bronner
Garden City, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Bronner Cottage Studio
Garden City, KS
example from auction site
reverse of card at left
photographer: Bronner Cottage Studio
Garden City, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Bronner Cottage Studio
Garden City, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Bronner
301 Laurel Street, Garden City, KS
example from auction site
reverse design of the two examples at left at left
photographer: G H Bronner
301 Laurel Street, Garden City, KS
example from auction site
photograhpher: H L Wolf
Garden City, KS
example from auction site
photographer: H L Wolf>br/> Garden City, KS
example from auction site
photograhpher: H L Wolf
Garden City, KS
example from auction site
photograhpher: H L Wolf
Garden City, KS
example from Kansas Memory
(Note the identical props in previous photograph)
00px;"> photographer: H L Wolf
Garden City, KS
example from auction site
Garnett, KS
Garnett was platted in 1857.
photographer: Johnson
Garnett, KS
example from Ancestry.com
photographer: McLain
Garnett, KS
example from the Flickr Collection of mj aux
photographer: McLain
Garnet, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Stevens and Johnson
Garnett, KS
example from Karen Keller on Flickr
photographer Walrad
Garnett, KS
example from auction site

L D Walrad and Son, Harry, took over the Fifth Avenue Photography Gallery from H B Thompson who retired, in March of 1897. Harry and his brother Will also operated galleries at different times, in several small towns including Erie, Pittsburg, Wesphalia, and Fredonia, KS, and Blackwell, OK. L D Walrad was also quite active in city and county politics around 1900. The Walrad gallery operated in Garnett, KS, until about 1914.

photographer: Miller Art Studio
Gaylord, KS
example from the Flickr collection of mj aux
(According to newspaper items, R B Miller took over the Hammond Studio in Gaylord, KS, in Sep 1897, working there until Oct 1898, when he and his family moved to Blue Rapids, KS.)
photographer: Miller Art Studio
Gaylord, KS
example from auction site
Genesco, KS
photographer: W H Coffey
Genesco, KS
example from auction site
reverse of card at left
photographer: Baxter
Little River and Genesco, KS
example from auction site
Girard, KS
Girard was founded in the spring of 1868, in opposition to Crawfordsville, and named after the town of Girard, Pennsylvania, the former home of trustee Charles Strong. It was based around the surveyed line of the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Gulf Railroad, in an attempt to gain an advantage over its rival.


Photographer: Bell
Eastside Square, Girard, Kans.
probably finished between 1888 and 1896 by
James R Bell
example from LOST GALLERY
Photographer; J R Bell
Girard, KS
example from auction site
Photographer; J R Bell
Girard, KS
example from auction site
Photographer; J R Bell
Girard, KS
example from auction site
photographer" Howard and Bell
Girard, KS
example from Vernacular Photography
Photographer; J R Bell
Girard, KS
example from auction site
Photographer; J R Bell
Girard, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Bells Studio
Girard, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Proctor
Girard, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Smith
Girard, KS
example from auction site
photographer: C H Talbott
Girard, KS
(See also Paola and Spring Hill, KS)
example from Opening Doors in Brick Walls
photographer: Allen
Glen Elder, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Allen
Glen Elder, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Allen
Glen Elder, KS
example from auction site
Goodland, KS
Goodland was laid out in 1861. The town was named from the quality of its soil. A post office has been in operation at Goodland since 1861. One of the earliest pieces of recorded history relating to Goodland concerns the Kidder Massacre of 1867.

Photographer: D. G. Clark
Goodland, KS
example from LOST GALLERY
Photographer: D. G. Clark
Goodland, KS
example from auction site
photographer: D G Clark
Goodland, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Reynolds
East Side Boulevard, Goodland, KS
example from auction site
Reynolds worked in Goodland from about Mar 1889 to Oct 1896 when he sold out and moved to Topeka.
photographer: E E Van Epps
Oberlin, Goodland, Colby and Hoxie, KS
example from auction site
photographer Freeman
Goodland, KS
example from Freeman Family Photos on Wordpress
Great Bend, KS
The first settlers of the area arrived in 1870. Living in sod houses and dugouts, they worked as buffalo hunters since trampling by bison herds precluded crop farming. In 1871, the Great Bend Town Company, anticipating the westward construction of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, founded Great Bend at a site roughly three miles west of Fort Zarah on the Santa Fe Trail. They named the settlement after its location at the "great bend" in the Arkansas River where the river's course turns eastward. The town began to grow as more settlers arrived over the following year and opened several businesses.
In 1873, following the arrival of the railroad, Great Bend became a shipping point for cattle. This stimulated local business but also transformed the city into a rowdy, violent cowtown. In 1876, the Kansas Legislature extended the legal "dead line" restricting the presence of Texas cattle 30 miles west of Barton County. The cattle trade moved westward accordingly, and the city became more peaceful. --Wiki
potographer: Gainsford
Great Bend, KS
example from Photographhs, Pistols and Parasols

Great Bend (KS) Register - 02 Sep 1886
photographer: Mrs S B Hale
Great Bend, KS
example from auction site
Active around 1888
photographer: Halladay
Great Bend, KS
example from picclick
photographer: Halladay and Luse
Great Bend, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Halladay
Great Bend, KS
example from auction site
photogrpaher: Halliday>br/> Great Bend and La Crosse, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Jones
Great Bend, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Jones
Great Bend, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Misses Smith and Loomiller
Great Bend, KS
examle from auction site

Misses Ocie C Smith and Lida Loomiller were partners with a photograph gallery in Great Bend, Kansas, from about August of 1893 to at least July of 1894. No mention of the partners has been found after that date.


Great Bend (KS) Weekly Tribune - 01 Sep 1893
Barton County (KS) Dempcrat - 05 Jul 1894
photographer: Tate
Great Bend, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Wilson
Great Bend, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Wilson
Great Bend, KS
example from auction site
photographer: Kassabaum
Gypsum City, KS
example from Kansas Memory
John A Kassebaum located his photo car in Gypsum, KS, 11 Mar 1892 and continued as photographer in that city at least until late 1894.
Grenola, KS
Grenola had its start in the year 1879 by the building of the railroad through that territory. At that time, the two rival cities of Green Field and Canola, which were three miles apart, relocated to the site of the railroad and merged. The name Grenola is a portmanteau of the names of the two former towns. ---Wikipedia
photographer: D B Doty
Grenola, KS
(see also Attica, KS) example from auction site

Not the one you were looking for? Here's the photographer's INDEX by name. All the Cabinet Card photographers of the 19th century found in LOST GALLERY are listed there.

This is a work always in progress.

Aditional information and new examples are always welcome. Any additional information will help narrow the time that these precious antiques were made.

All submissions should be free of glare and shadows.
Do not crop.
Leave a border around each card. The edges are sometimes an important clue to the age of the card.

Email to the address found in the profile at the bottom of this page.

Some examples on this page have been enhanced or restored for clarity and presentation here.

This page is free for educational and research purposes only but, as always, if the original owner of any of these examples objects to the use on this page, just let me know and they will be immediately removed.

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