We’ve already featured some of the weddings documented by Chelsea-area photographer Ralph Guenther—but he did more than just weddings!  The majority of photographs Mr. Guenther took were portraits—and several were of some pretty adorable children.

Today we’ll look at highlights of portraits taken in 1958.  The only names we have associated with the photos are the names of the people who ordered them—who almost certainly aren’t the children pictured.  If you are able to identify any of these cuties, email sconrad@chelseadistrictlibrary.org.

Take a look at that grin! This photo was taken on May 24, 1958 and was ordered by Don Fritz.

 

This little guy seems pretty happy, too. Gotta love that bow-tie! This picture was taken on July 12, 1958 and was ordered by Mrs. D. Salyer.

 

Not all little ones were happy to get their photos taken, like this 8-month old. This photo was taken on November 6, 1958 and was ordered by Jim Clark.

 

This fella might be a little overwhelmed by the photography process, but he’s keeping his cool. This portrait was taken on October 24, 1958 and was ordered by Mrs. Carl Koch.

 

Mrs. Floyd Schneider ordered this picture, taken on October 22, 1958. I wonder what was happening behind the camera to get that reaction…

 

This young lady’s a little older than the other featured children, but how can you resist that smile? This photo was taken on September 9, 1958 and was ordered by M. Guenther. Perhaps this girl was related to the photographer?

 

Boy does this family portrait feature a lot of kids. Can you imagine taking care of that many little ones? This picture was taken on December 3, 1958 and was ordered by John Thomas.

Happy First Day of Summer!  Get out there and enjoy some ice cream like these children in 1958.

This photograph of Chelsea’s Dairy Queen was taken by Ralph Guenther in 1958.

It’s June, and the prime time for weddings is upon us!  Ralph Guenther was hired to photograph weddings from the 1950s-2000s.  Below are some highlights from weddings in the 1950s.

This photo is from Hal Schroeder's wedding, which took place sometime in the 1950s.

 

The date of this wedding and the names of the couple pictured is unknown.

 

This photo also comes from Hal Schroeder's wedding.

 

An action-shot from Geneva O'Dell's wedding, which took place on June 11, 1958.

 

The reception following Geneva O'Dell's wedding.

 

This comes from the Lantis wedding, which took place some time in the 1950s.

Beatrice Fawler feeds her new husband cake. This wedding took place on May 3, 1958.

 

The chalkboard behind the couple gives us their names and the month of their wedding. However, the year is unknown.

Reception band from an unknown 1950s wedding.

If you can identify any dates or people in these photographs, please email sconrad@chelseadistrictlibrary.org.

From 1904-1922 Caroline Kendell Leeman sold butter and eggs from her farm and kept meticulous records. In that time span, she sold 2,239 pounds of butter and 6,990 dozen eggs.

Her family has preserved and digitized her record book and receipts and shared it with the library.  If you’d like to see more of it, email sconrad@chelseadistrictlibrary.org.

With Prom coming up this weekend, take a look back at a Chelsea High School Dance from the 1950s.

These photos were taken by Ralph Guenther sometime in the 1950s.  Though we aren’t sure that this dance was the prom, the decorations and dresses are certainly reminiscent of one.

Any ideas of when this dance took place?  Recognize any of the dancers?  Email sconrad@chelseadistrictlibrary.org with your thoughts.

On February 28, 1932, The Child Study club opened Chelsea’s first library since 1903.  The library, which consisted of 22 books donated by Study Club members and 100 books on loan from the State Library, was announced to the people of Chelsea in a letter written by the “books” in the February 25 issue of the Chelsea Standard:

Dear Public:

Here we are! One hundred fifty books of fact, fiction, wit and humor; already to start moving, then growing and never satisfied until we mature into a real library.  And just think—we are the friends of children and adults and haven’t made one cent of expense except for a few postage stamps to bring us to Chelsea.

We are just so cozy on these shelves that were donated by good friends of the Child Study club; and have you seen the gaily painted chairs, tables and lamps that just bespeak of congeniality that we already feel in out new home and that we want you to feel toward us.

We expect to be with you about three months, then have to run back to the State Library in Lansing to be dressed up for summer and to give some more of our book friends an opportunity to come down and watch the coming and going to appreciative faces and see little noses pressed against the big window across the library front.

So hurry folks, we want to go into your homes and watch your faces as you listen to the chatter and matter that comes out of our pages.

Now here is one of our little secrets which we know you will want to pass on; If you want to take us home with you, so as to get better acquainted, it will not cost you one cent unless you forget to bring us back at the end of two weeks, then—well, we know that never will happen, but if it should, we shall just talk it over at the Library when you bring us back and your little bit of forgetfulness of time will help to buy more books to be kept permanently for the library’s very own.

Dear me, we could go on and talk to you much more for you see our enthusiasm run high—but if you really care to get better acquainted with us, we shall be glad to go with you on Saturday, February 27, from three o’clock until five o’clock and every Wednesday and Saturday of the succeeding weeks at the same time.

But until that time, be sure to keep us in mind for we are from the new library sponsored by the Child Study club and remain always your true and sincere friends

The Books for Children and Adults

Since opening eighty years ago, the library has been a permanent part of Chelsea, though it has switched locations several times over those years, with a permanent location finally surfacing when Catherine McKune donated her family’s home in 1958. 

Initially open for only four hours a week and offering a mere 122 books, the Chelsea Library has grown over the past 80 years; today it is open 63 hours a week and holds a collection of more than 78,500!