Emporia State University has opened an exhibit of F.M. Steele photos in a corridor of the the Memorial Union.
The exhibit marks the first time the set of 32 photos will be displayed in Emporia. The photos present a strong portrait of early American frontier life, community activities, farming, ranching and the building of transportation infrastructure.
“Of particular interest in the set of images is a sequence of wheat farming that takes the viewer from planting through harvest," Emporia State's Director for the Center for Great Plains Studies Jim Hoy said.
Francis Marion Steel's life and work straddled the turn of the century and focused on life in the plains states of Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado and Texas. He is particularly well-known for his photos of cowboys.
The Center for Great Plains Studies began its collection in 2004 with 58 images and has since grown the collection to more than 450 images, all of which have been digitized for posterity.
The free exhibit will run through 2016. Visitors during the holiday season should call 620-341-5574 to confirm exhibit hours in advance.
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