Glass Negatives: Wisconsin History

To go directly to the auction site: SuperiorAuction.com.

We have a large collection of glass negatives that appear to be from the the early 20th century (early 1900s-1930s) depicting Wisconsin people, places, and history.

Specific areas of interest are circus / Vaudville, sharpshooters, Wild West Show, street views, portraits, logging, camping, fishing... the list goes on.

My job was to take photos of some negatives,  then to digitally reverse a few, but I found myself becoming more and more curious about who, when, and where.

The photographic glass negatives were bought locally, and the images looked like Wisconsin, but I couldn't be sure.

One big clue came on an envelope from Kodak.  Could John A. Schulz of Clintonville, Wisconsin be our photographer?

There were more clues on the other side... handwritten notes, perhaps the subjects of the photographs: Schultz - Bill + J / Mosquito Hill.

Mosquito Hill is near New London.   Another reference to New London appears in the following negative:

 

If we zoom in on the box:

The box is from Western States Envelope Co. in Milwaukee, Wis.  The handwriting on the box says (illegible) / The Press / New London / Wis.

Harding is also a Wisconsin town.  Is it someone + Lou?  Hud? 

Logging and Lumber are a common theme:

 

There was a railway accident, that if identified would give us a time and place. 

You can read on the train cars Chicago and North Western and Frisco.

This interesting scene features a sign that says "New London".  

And there are many local people and places that could be potentially be identified by the right person.

Central House:

I'm convinced that many, if not most, of these photos were taken in Wisconsin, many in the New London area.   Local historians and genealogists may recognize some of these people and places.  I'd be grateful for any help I can get.

Do any of these places look familiar?  Does anyone know anything about John Schulz or other Schultz family in the area, possibly a Bill Shultz?  

I'll be selling these soon, and I may never know who our mystery photographer is, or his connection to the sharpshooters Lou and Dell and the other performers depicted in these negatives and lanterns slides.

Lou and Dell will be the topic of my next blog.  In the meantime, here is preview: