Lorne Wilde Photograph Collection, 1910s-1920s

125 photographic prints : 8 x 10 in. and smaller (Photo. 2038)
7 postcards : 3½ x 5 in.

Biography

Lorne Wilde was born April 24, 1879 at St. Jean Baptiste, Manitoba, moving to Bathgate, N.D. at an early age and later Crookston, Minnesota in 1887. On April 14, 1902 he married Florence May Lytle at Crookston, Minn. Mr. Wilde worked in the retail and wholesale grocery business until 1906, when he entered newspaper work. He was employed on both the Crookston Journal and the Crookston Times until 1908, when he came to Fargo and joined the Fargo Forum staff as a reporter; later becoming editor in 1914. He became director of publicity for the U.S. War Food Administration in 1917; and later deputy commissioner of immigration in North Dakota. In 1921 he returned to the Fargo Forum as a special writer, with numerous articles dealing with farming and industrial life in North Dakota. He died in a traffic accident November 7, 1946.

Scope and Content

The Lorne Wilde Photograph Collection was found in Wilde's Fargo home after his death. It is not known if he took any of the images, or if he simply collected them for use in his newspaper articles. Very few include the name of the photographer or have much identification with them. The collection dates primarily from the 1920s and the photographs vary in size from 10 x 8 inch., professionally done photographs to 3½ x 5½ inch informal snapshots, although most are 5 x 7 in. gelatin silver prints. The majority of images are of rural scenes and activities in North Dakota, particularly from Burleigh County and westward. Early sod dwellings as well as modern farmsteads of much later date are present including the homes of I. P. Baker, Thomas Stie & William Rogheimer.

The collection is arranged alphabetically by subject. North Dakota counties featured are Burleigh, Grant, Hettinger, Logan, McLean, Morton and Stark, all located in the western portion of the state. The Dickinson Agricultural Experiment Station, the State Normal School at Ellendale and the Farmer's Union building at Sterling are included. Bismarck is the most documented town in the collection and includes images of the capitol grounds, businesses and houses. A unique feature of the collection is the file containing three photos of "Lone Scout" F. E. Gillett. Consult the contents listing for information on specific items within the files. All unique identifying information regarding each image is included in the contents listing.

Windbreaks (On Joe Morrison farm, Cavalier, N.D. & two boys in grove) (2)