Avis Henrietta Beyer Photo Album
St. Paul, Minnesota: c. 1915-1926.
Very Good Minus, overall. 269 black and white photos, dating from approximately 1915 to 1926, pasted in a black, string-bound photo album. Some photos are missing and some appear to have been pasted in the wrong spots, perhaps someone erroneously “fixing” ones that had fallen out. Others remain loose. Some creasing and chipping, though most are crisp.
An early 20th century photo album belonging to Avis Henrietta Beyer (1905–1989), the youngest of three girls born to Ablert Beyer, a train conductor, and Mary Amelia Bell. The family lived in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Though not strictly arranged chronologically, and only annotated in the first few pages, the photos range from the earliest dated 1915 to Avis’ college graduation from the University of Minnesota in 1926.
Overall motifs suggest a strong sense of family and a love of travel, sports, and the outdoors. Images show holidays in Taylor Falls, Philadelphia, Atlantic City, and New York City; birthday celebrations; graduations; and friends, family, beloved pets, and classmates.
A handful of photos are from Avis’ 5th grade class at Longfellow Elementary, the original building for which stood at Minnehaha Ave & E Lake St, Minneapolis until 1919, fewer than three miles from Avis’ childhood home.
Others show various people in canoes on a lake; two pages of slightly overexposed images of tipis on the planes; lots of snow; farm life; many of older sister Gladys with friends/colleagues in nursing uniforms.
The album ends with graduation photos from the University of Minnesota, many taken at the Phi Mu sorority house, and professional classmate photos, most of which were trimmed down to fit in the album, some still showing the remnants of dedications and signatures of the depicted.
If anything might be inferred from the album, it is that this young person lived a rich and happy life. Avis became a teacher, married, had children, and eventually died of cancer in 1989.
Price: $450.00