Lomen Brothers photograph collection, 1903-1920.
Title:
Lomen Brothers photograph collection, 1903-1920.
Corporate Author:
Physical Description:
258 photographs : black and white.
General Note:
In the Alaska State Library, Historical Collections, P.O. Box 110571, Juneau, AK 99811-0571.
Abstract:
The Lomen Bros. collection, a major source of Alaskan history, covers northern Alaskan people and activities, including sled dogs and racing, arctic explorers, Eskimo portraits, Eskimo hunters, Eskimo traditional activities, beach mining activities, Nome activities and businesses, reindeer and the reindeer industry and views of various Alaska towns.
Subject Term:
Geographic Term:
Biographical/Historical Data:
The Lomen family was well known in Alaska for an entreprenurial spirit. Their interests varied from reindeer herding to law practice. The five Lomen brothers, Carl Joys, Alfred Julian, Harry, George, and Ralph helped create a reindeer industry, outfitted the Norwegian explorer Amundsen and participated in the birth of bush aviation in Alaska. Judge G.J. Lomen of St. Paul, Minnesota, moved to Nome after vacationing with a son, Carl, in the early 1900's. In 1903, they were joined by his wife, Julie Joys Lomen, the remaining sons and a daughter, Helen. The entire Lomen family was active in civic affairs, prospecting and placer gold mining, and had various commercial ventures. In 1908, the Lomen brothers bought a photograph studio; a year later they purchased a drugstore. The Lomens purchased rights to a reindeer herd in 1913 and formed a corporation, Lomen and Co. The Lomen Transportation Co. was created in 1916 to ship the reindeer meat to the states with sufficient refrigeration. While in Nome, the Lomen brothers purchased studios and glass plate negatives of earlier Nome photographers, including B.B. Dobbs, Charles H. Milot, A.B. Kinney and F.H. Nowell. In September of 1934, a fire destroyed their business along with 25-30,000 negatives and 50,000 commercial prints. Approximately 3,000 negatives were salvaged. The Lomens never reopened their photography business. [From: "Alaska History," Vol. 5, Spring, 1990, and "The Lomen Brothers' Photographic Collection," Glenbow Archives, Calgary, Canada.].
Restrictions on Access:
Collection is open to research.
Additional Physical Form Available:
Also available on microfiche.
Contents:
The All Alaska Sweepstakes -- Arctic explorers -- Arctic expeditions -- Baldy of Nome -- steamships -- Wegarick (Eskimo woman) -- Wolf dance (Kaviagamute Eskimos) -- Kirs-ga-uk-tuk (Big Dance of the Kaviagamute Eskimos) -- See-uk-kirs-ruk (Welcome Dance of the Kaviagamute Eskimos) -- Eskimo eni -- Eskimo berry pickers -- walrus hunters -- seal hunters -- Kotzebue Herd No. 2 (reindeer) -- Sledge Island rookeries -- Andreafsky -- Ophir Creek -- St. Mary's Choir (Nome) -- 22nd Infantry Band (Nome).