P-086: Frank Fiske Missouri River Photograph Album

ABSTRACT: This collection consists of photographs taken by Frank Fiske on a trip aboard the steamer Scarab from June 16 to July 7, 1918 from Fort Yates, North Dakota to St. Louis.

SCOPE: Annotated photograph album documenting photographer Frank Fiske’s two-week steamboat journey on the Missouri River in 1918.

EXTENT:   One photograph album, 100 photographs

HISTORY:  Frank Fiske was a prominent early 20th century photographer who grew up at Fort Yates, near the Standing Rock Reservation. Fiske learned photography at a young age, mentoring under the Fort Yates post photographer Stephen T. Fansler. Fiske took over Fansler’s studio when he was seventeen and spent the next two decades photographing the community of Standing Rock. Fiske was best known for his photographs depicting everyday Lakota life and the changing frontier, but he was also a writer and served as a newspaper editor and assistant steamboat captain.

This album documents Fiske’s journey aboard the steamer Scarab of the Benton Packet Company. The boat departed Fort Yates, North Dakota on June 16, 1918 and arrived in St. Louis on July 2. The album contains 100 silver gelatin photographs that capture largely undocumented aspects of life along one of America's great western rivers. Each image provides viewers the intimate feeling of standing on the deck of the Scarab, alongside Fiske, as he makes his journey. The album includes views of the Scarab and the passing boats, Missouri River scenes and images of the surrounding landscape, military outposts, infrastructure projects, railroads, river towns, historic sites, and more. Fiske gave this album to Captain Isaac P. Baker, owner of the Benton Packet Company of Bismarck, North Dakota. 

ACCESS:  This is collection P-86. This collection is available for on-site use only in the Rare Book and Manuscripts Reading Room. Some of the collection may be photocopied, digitally scanned or photographed, depending on condition. Researchers are advised to call ahead concerning changes in hours due to University intersessions and holidays. The St. Louis Mercantile Library is located on levels one and two of the Thomas Jefferson Library building. More information about conducting research with the archival collections of the Library, including current building hours and reading room policies, can be found on our Research page.

Preferred Citation note: The preferred citation for this collection is "From the collections of the Herman T. Pott National Inland Waterways Library at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.”

INVENTORY

Photo Inventory
Page Number Caption
1 Moonlight on the Missouri
2 Leaving Fort Yates, Fiske home, Hospital.
3 Marlin Kenel school, Indian. Formerly St. Benedict's Mission, 18 miles south of Fort Yates.
4 Pontis. Milwaukee R.R. bridge and Mobridge Ferry.
5 Milwaukee R.R. bridge at Mobridge.
6 Foot of Blue Blanket Island.
7 Old ferry landing, opposite Evarts, S. Dak. At one time the greatest cattle trail in the west.
8 Opposite Evarts. Remains of stockyards
9 Foot of Fox Island, showing where town of Evarts stood.
10 Mouth of Morreau River. It enters Missouri below the tent.
11 Lebeau, So. Dak.
12 A down river view.
13 Cheyenne Agency.
14 Forest City S. Il.
15 Fort Bennett. The old post stood at foot of darker bluffs. Old Cheyenne Agency stood to the
north
16 River at Fort Bennett
17 Fort Sully. It was located under point of hill at left.
18 Alfalfa field opposite Fort Sully.
19 Buffalo belonging to Scotty Phillips herd above Pierre.
20 More buffalo. Same herd.
21 Str. Scarab and tow lying above Pierre bridge waiting for draw to open.
22 Going through Pierre bridge.
23 The bridge is passed.
24 Pierre So. Dak.
25 Fort Pierre
26 Steel draw in R.R. bridge at Chamberlain.
27 Ada Bell above Chamberlain. The first boat we met.
28 Fort Hale stood on these pretty bluffs.
29 R.R. people trying protect some bridge
30 J.C. Leach captain of Scarab on Chamberlain bridge.
31 Bijou Hills
32 Bijou Hills
33 Rosebud Landing
34 Pocahantas [sic] Island
35 Ferry at Wheeler.
36 Old Fort Randall.
37 Yankton Agency
38 Running Water, S. Dak.
39 Cow under bank, a total loss.
40 Milltown. A Mennonite colony above Yankton.
41 Yankton Ferry.
42 Sacred Heart Academy Yankton.
43 Below St. Helena.
44 Vermillion, S. Il.
45 Kate Sweeny Bend.
46 Elk Point.
47 Elk Point.
48 Sioux City.
49 Upper bridge, Sioux City
50 Council Tree, Riverside Park. Sioux City

Photo Inventory
Page Number Caption
51 Historic Tree. Old Brugier home Sioux City.
52 At Sioux. More of the Brugier home.
53 City, Jim Noony's Home
54 Floyd's Monument Sioux City
55 Decatur Bend.
56 Str. Scarab and tow at Decatur. Str. Julius F. Silber, above.
57 Decatur, Neb.
58 The Elk at Decatur
59 Typical Reef
60 A narrow piece of river
61 Moving Day
62 River cutting under riprap.
63 U.S.A. balloons, Fort Omaha
64 Florence, pumping station above Omaha.
65 A farm in distress.
66 Same farm.
67 Leavenworth Pen
68 Old R.R. bridge at Leavenworth.
69 At Fort Leavenworth.
70 Kansas City, draw.
71 Kansas City, high.
72 A Snag.
73 K. C. boats.
74 Sand dredging, Below K.C.
75 Light No. 176 just below K.C.
76 Standard Oil Refinery, Below K.C.
77 Standard Oil Refinery, same.
78 Cement works, below K.C.
79 Gov. boats at Glasgow, Mo.
80 Str. Advance and steel barge
81 Gov. cutting off channel in order to divert it toward a fine farm.
82 The farm being devoured
83 Foot of farm nearly devoured.
84 Coal mine.
85 Concrete riprap. Not holding well.
86 Gov. trying to do something here.
87 Church on rollers. River wants it.
88 Jefferson City, capitol.
89 Mouth of Osage River.
90 Ruins of first brewery in Missouri.
91 The barge we pushed to St. Louis.
92 Leaving the Missouri. Smokestacks belong to a factory on east side of the Miss.
93 Where the waters of the Missouri meet the Mississippi.
94 Towboat and barge on the Mississippi.
95 Str. Plaza under Ead's bridge
96 Str. Plaza.
97 Scarab at end of her journey. Above Ead's bridge.
98 Boats at St. Louis.
99 The wake of the Scarab. Looks like a moonlight view.
100 no caption- image of scarab with small sketch of steamer beneath it]