Fire Fighters and Small Bird

Here’s a nifty photo of two Lenexa Fire department workers handling a small bird. Judging from the clothes it appears to date from the late 1970s or early 1980s.

History Mystery: Family Portrait

This striking photo depicts a couple with two young boys posing in a studio setting. The approximate year is 1915. Click to view larger image.

History Mystery: Boy Hanging from Tree

This cute photograph of a young boy hanging from a tree branch contains some cryptic writing on the back: “Master John/Barkley Wells.” The date is June 26, 1977.

History mystery: Portrait of a girl

This photograph is striking and almost looks as if it were candid. The portrait’s date is unknown, probably 1930s. Anyone know who this is?

History Mystery: Bridal Portrait

This somber portrait of a young bride dates to approximately 1925. The photographer is listed as Strathmann in Seneca, Kansas.

History mystery: Family portrait, circa 1915

Here is an unidentified family, posed for a group portrait about 1915. The couple appears to be about 30 years of age. The two boys appear to be about 2 and 5 years old.

Click photo to view a larger image.

History Mystery: WWI Officer?

Portrait of an unidentified military serviceman wearing what appears to be World War I-era officer’s uniform.

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History mystery: Portrait of a girl

Portrait of a seated young girl, circa 1930. She is identified only as “Van Mal relative.”

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History Mystery: Walker School photo

Corinthian Nutter and her class at Walker School, around the time of the school boycott

This photo shows the class of Walker School, a school attended by the African American students of the South Park area in present-day Merriam.

The teacher shown here is Corinthian Nutter. Nutter is best known for participating in a walk-out at Walker School in 1948. The Merriam school district had built a new school but refused to permit African American students from Walker school to attend. In protest, all but two Walker School students refused to attend classes until the policy was reversed. The subsequent boycott of classes had Nutter teaching in people’s homes until the Kansas Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Walker students, effectively desegregating the Merriam school system.

The students here have not been identified though it is likely that many are still living.

View another Corinthian Nutter History Mystery.

History mystery: Corinthian Nutter photo

Corinthian Nutter (right) sitting with an unidentified woman

Corinthian Nutter was well into her 90s when this photograph was taken around 2000. The photo has her sitting with another older woman who is not identified. The woman is holding a legal pad which brings to mind the possibility that she is conducting an interview or oral history. If you have any idea who this could be, leave a comment here or on the photograph record. Click the photo to view a larger image on the site.

Corinthian Nutter died in 2004 at the age of 97. You can read an obituary from the Johnson County Museum newsletter on the JoCoHistory site.