Brodfuehrer family scrapbook, circa 1912-1917

The scrapbook provides a vivid record of Oscar and Vera Brodfuehrers’ student life at Northwestern University, as well as their life and travels after graduation, and photographs of friends and family members (Brodfuehrer and Penberthy). Most of the images are captioned. Images in the book include both published prints (such as pictures from the annual NU scenic calendar), images clipped from publications, and commercially-produced photographs, but the majority of the items are original photographs, probably mostly taken by Oscar Brodfuehrer and ranging in size from 2”x3” to 13”x9”.  Some photographs were removed at some time in the past (as evidenced by captions without photos, or torn spots on pages).

The photographs of Northwestern include exteriors of buildings, group and individual shots of students—mostly in informal situations on the campus, along with a number of images of students in their rooms, events on campus such as the construction of the long-awaited new gymnasium, theatrical productions, and activities during commencement, and views of campus that might have been taken during the Brodfuehrers’ class reunion in 1917 (including a large photo of Harris Hall, built in 1914). Travel photographs range from scenic views of the Midwest to the stately buildings of Washington, D.C.