Eskridge Branch Library Digitizes Photos

By flinthillsspecial on November 28, 2017 • ( 1 Comment )

The Eskridge Branch of the Pottawatomie-Wabaunsee Regional Library system recently partnered with Kansas writer and historian, Greg Hoots to digitize their historic photo collection. The library had a small but significant collection of historic photographs of Eskridge as well as a group of Eskridge school class photos that had been donated to the organization.

This real photo postcard of the Security State Bank in Eskridge, Kansas dates from about 1910. The Eskridge Post Office was located on the south side of the building.

Hoots completed the digitization project by making 71 high-resolution scans of photos in the library’s collection. In addition to scanning fifty-three photographs, Hoots also scanned the reverse of any photo that had writing or printing on the back of the image. In the case of one group of photos from Dover, Kansas, there was a two-page handwritten note from the photographer which was also scanned.

Edgar “Slim” Sargent sits at his home at Dover, Kansas in the summer of 1984.

The library’s collection included twenty class and sports team photographs, ten photographs of the lumber company at Eskridge, five photos of Edgar “Slim” Sargent’s home at Dover, and seventeen miscellaneous views of Eskridge.

The library’s photos can now be viewed online here on the WCHS website, and they can be viewed on computer terminals at the Eskridge Branch Library.

Floyd Clark, left, and Leland Lucky stand in front of a wood stove at the Clinton Scott Lumber Company in Eskridge in this view, circa 1960.

When Hoots organized the library’s digital collection on an external hard drive, he also included two other noteworthy collections of historic Eskridge photos which can be viewed on the library’s computers. The first is the collection of lifelong Eskridge resident and businessman, Dean Dunn. Hoots provided scans of 121 photos belonging to the Dunn collection, courtesy Dean and Inez Dunn’s children. Also included on the library’s computers is Greg Hoots’ personal collection of Eskridge digitized photos which he has accumulated in the last twenty years. Hoots’ Eskridge collection includes 120 images, making a total of 294 digitized historic photos of Eskridge in the group.

Eskridge Rural High School Football team, 1926

Eskridge Rural High School football team, “fall of 1926.”

Click on any image below to view the Eskridge Branch Library’s collection of historic photos in a gallery format or as a full-screen image.

Freshman Class of 1923-1924, the Class of 1927.

Eskridge Rural High School football team, “fall of 1926.”

Eskridge Rural High School Class of 1927

Eskridge Rural High School football team at the high school, circa 1927.

Students and instructor at the Eskridge Public School, circa 1905, including students in the 5th, 6th, and 7th grades.

Reverse, circa 1905

Eskridge Rural High School Sophomore Class, circa 1927

Graduating seniors from Eskridge Rural High School, Class of 1927

Eskridge Rural High School, Class of 1928

Eskridge Rural High School, Class of 1937

Eskridge Rural High School, Class of 1947

Eskridge Rural High School, Class of 1948

Eskridge Rural High School, Class of 1949

Eskridge Rural High School, Class of 1950

Eskridge Rural High School, Class of 1951

Eskridge Rural High School, Junior Class, 1953-1954

Eskridge Rural High School, Class of 1957

Eskridge Rural High School, Class of 1961

Eskridge Rural High School, Class of 1963

Eskridge Rural High School, Class of 1965

Eskridge Rural High School, Class of 1966

Eskridge Rural High School bus driver, Harold Blankenship stands in front of his bus at the high school in Eskridge.

Eskridge Rural High School bus driver, Harold Blankenship stands beside his bus on a snowy day at Eskridge.

This real photo postcard from 1911 shows damage to Dr. Trivett’s home at Eskridge, Kansas.

Frank Frost, left, was the longtime owned and editor of the Eskridge Independent newspaper. Frost was also the leading proponent for the construction of Lake Wabaunsee.

Leland Lucky, manager of the Clinton Scott Lumber Company is seen behind the counter at the lumber company in November of 1943.

Floyd Clark, left, and Leland Lucky stand in front of a wood stove at the Clinton Scott Lumber Company in Eskridge in this view, circa 1960.

Leland Lucky, manager of the Clinton Scott Lumber Company stands at the counter in this 1930s view of the lumber company before the addition was added to the east.

Leland Lucky stands in the “front office” of the Clinton Scott Lumber Company at Eskridge in this view from the 1930s.

The front window of the Eskridge Lumber Company was painted with a welcome sign for visitors to the Eskridge Labor Day Rodeo.

Workers place a metal roof on a lumber storage building at the Scott Lumber Company in Eskridge.

Workers place a metal roof on the lumber storage buildings at the Scott Lumber Company in Eskridge, Kansas.

Workers place a metal roof on a lumber storage building at the Scott Lumber Company at Eskridge, Kansas.

This photo of the Scott Lumber Company at Eskridge, Kansas was taken in about 1950. Handwriting on the reverse indicates that the high-wheeler bicycle belonged to lumber company owner, Clinton Scott.

Jim Eastman, left, and Gary Rimby, center, visit with Leland Lucky at the Scott Lumber Company in Eskridge, Kansas.

This real photo postcard of the Security State Bank in Eskridge, Kansas dates from about 1910. The Eskridge Post Office was located on the south side of the building.

This view of Main Street in Eskridge, Kansas looks to the north from the 200 block in this Zercher Photo view from about 1907.

Reverse of Eskridge Main Street real photo postcard

This real photo postcard showing the Security State Bank in Eskridge, Kansas dates from about 1907.

This Zercher Photo real photo postcard from about 1907 shows the west side of Main Street in Eskridge, Kansas, looking south.

This real photo postcard shows Eskridge High School as it looked in about 1913. This view looks to the northwest.

This real photo postcard view from about 1940 shows the west side of Main Street in Eskridge, Kansas.

An Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Streamliner stops at the Eskridge depot to take schoolchildren on a trip to Kansas City.

An ATSF Streamliner stops at Eskridge in this 1950s view.

An ATSF Streamliner stops at the Eskridge depot to board schoolchildren who are taking a trip to Kansas City in this 1950s view.

This early 20th century view from Eskridge, Kansas is titled, “Womanless Wedding”. Many of the men pictured are identified on the reverse.

Reverse side of photo, “Womanless Wedding”, Eskridge, Kansas

This photo shows the home of Dr. William Walker and his wife, Evelyn, in Eskridge, Kansas. Dr. Walker’s office was located in the small brick building.

This view of the J. Y. Waugh home in Eskridge, Kansas dates from about 2000.

This view of the Waugh Building, 123 Main Street in Eskridge, Kansas dates from about 2000.

Page one of a letter dated, 11-18-01 from Louise Lemons to the Eskridge library concerning her photographs of the “Slim” Sargent home at Dover, Kansas.