Studio in Media

Appleton set up a photographic studio in his home at 341 W. State St. and shot hundreds of portraits in that setting—of babies and children, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters and extended families and even some of their pets. Other family and group portraits were more informal, shot on front porches, in backyards, and during family gatherings. He photographed local baseball, football and basketball teams, high school graduating classes, veterans’ groups, fraternal organizations, and workers (including bakers and waiters and even a priest) set against the backdrop of their workplaces. Names have been verified as much as possible, and alternate spellings have been provided, but some photographs (because of both the cryptic nature of the photographer’s index, and the illegibility at times of his florid script) remain enigmatic. Even where the subjects are unknown, the details revealed in close examination of these photographs provide a wealth of information about fashions in clothing, accessories, and hairstyles of the time.