Big holes (8 prints)
File — Box: 1, Folder: 5
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
The G. Angus Fraser photograph collection consists of family photographs and numerous photographs taken on site when the North Dakota state capitol building was being constructed in Bismarck. Fraser must have obtained them while serving on the Board of State Capitol Commissioners. The construction photographs were accessioned as part of the G. Angus Fraser papers (organized as Manuscript 74), while the family photographs were accessioned in 2004 and came from the estate of his daughter-in-law Irene Fraser (widow of Donald Fraser) The photograph collection is organized into two series: People and Portraits, and the North Dakota Board of State Capitol Commissioners. The later series has been organized into five files: Commissioners and architects, Starting to dig, Big holes, Laying the foundation, and Framework.
The People and Portraits Series contains a series of four family photographs of the G. Angus Fraser family in their Fargo home in the 1920s, individual portraits of G. Angus and Dot Fraser later in life and two unidentified images, likely taken back East. There is a portrait of Simon Fraser that was owned by his grandson, G. Angus Fraser. It is a reproduction copied from a printed source, perhaps a newspaper. It is a profile view of Mr. Fraser. In addition there is a large, charcoal portrait of an unidentified, aged woman that may be Isabella Fraser, believed to be G. Angus Fraser’s grandmother who lived in Ontario, Canada. An identical cabinet photograph is found in the album.
The album is no doubt once owned by Simon and Leora Fraser and documents their families primarily in Pennsylvania. The album is fabric covered and designed to hold only cabinet and carte de visite size photographs. It is almost completely full. Most of the images are not identified. Photographer imprints on the cabinet cards (25 items) include Hamilton, Ontario; Bradford, Butler, Kane, Franklin and Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Canton, Ohio; Winona, Minn. and one from Fargo. The only identification found includes one likely of his grandfather (1884) from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, one labeled “Edna Gillette” and “Burt Baby.” In addition there is a death card for Isabella Fraser (1889). The cartes de visite section includes nine cartes de visite and six tintypes. One is of G. Angus and Charles Fraser as very young boys, taken at Edenburg, Pennsylvania. Others with photographer marks include from Wapello, Iowa and Oil City, Pennsylvania.
The North Dakota Board of State Capitol Commissions Series (49 prints) include a single print of the Capitol Commission members and some of the architects involved with the building of the North Dakota State Capitol. The people in the photograph are identified on the back.
The Starting to Dig File (6 prints) has images of the land area just as the builders were starting to dig for the foundation of the capitol building. The Big Holes File (8 prints) contains photographs of the workers and machinery at the site after a large hole for the foundation was dug. The Laying the Foundation File (10 prints) is of the workers pouring the concrete for the foundation of the capitol building and starting to put the first beams up for the bottom of the framework. The Framework File (24 prints) contains many photographs that show the framework of the capitol building as it is being built. They show all the way from some of the first beams to the entire framework before they covered it with concrete.
Dates
- 1880s-1930s
Access
The collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Institute.
Extent
From the Collection: 60 Photographic Prints (60 photographic prints)
From the Collection: 1 Photograph Albums (1 album (25 cabinets, 9 cartes de visite and 6 tintypes))
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Creator
- From the Collection: Fraser, G. Angus, 1874-1957. (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Institute for Regional Studies Repository
Contact:
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu
West Building N
3551 7th Avenue North
Fargo North Dakota 58102 United States
ndsu.archives@ndsu.edu