s0809 SCHEIDEGGER, FRANCIS (1918-2000),
PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION ADDENDA, 1940-1972
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH CENTER-ST. LOUIS
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
Photographer Francis Scheidegger donated a large collection of his photograph negatives to the Western Historical Manuscript Collection on April 11, 1995.
Francis Scheidegger worked as a photographer in his native Kirkwood, Missouri from 1940 until his death in 2000. Scheidegger was the first local photographer in Kirkwood, opening a storefront studio on South Kirkwood Road in 1941. His earliest successes came after he photographed many of the stately residences of the neighborhood under a full moon following an ice storm in 1942. He sold the winter scenes to the local homeowners. Thereafter, he developed his business by photographing weddings and other social occasions but also documenting much of the local architecture and the Kirkwood appearances of many national celebrities, including presidents and congressmen. He also served as an elected official in Kirkwood for 28 years, longer than any other office holder. Because of his interest in and promotion of recycling, Kirkwood named its recycling center after him. In 1995, the mayor of Kirkwood declared September 24 as "Francis Scheidegger Day." The Collection is still being scanned and will contain over 9000 images