Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection open for research.

Use Restrictions

Visual collections may require special handling.

VC_0021_0001 is held at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburg and may be used here for research purposes only.

Preferred Citation

Kidwell's Market Photographs, ca. 1940-2008 (VC 2001), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

Acquisition Information

Christopher T. Murphy, Leesburg, VA

Alternative Form Available

None

Accruals

2008.0059

Processing Information

Processed by Jennifer P. Carney, 14 January 2010

Historical Information

The property at 102 Loudoun St. SW, Leesburg, Virginia, has a long history of commercial use. In the year 1860, Charles A. Johnston (1806-1877) owned the building that John W. Galleher (1826-1882) used to operate his grocery and liquor business. About 1900 Pendleton Perry (1858-1928) used the property for his monument business; a dozen years later it was home to "Perry's Grocery." This building also housed "Kidwell's Market" in the 1940s. In 2008, it was home to Eyetopia, an optical goods store.

Scope and Content

This collection consists of two digital images of 102 Loudoun St., SW, taken by Luke Swank, ca. 1940-1943, and Chris Murphy in 2008.

Born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania in 1890, Swank had a varied career that included dog training, farming, the family hardware and automobile businesses, only coming to professional photography in his 40s.Taking commercial photos for companies like Ford, Calgon and Heinz were Swank's bread and butter during the early days of his career, leaving him free to concentrate on now-iconic images of urban and industrial America. "Kidwell's Market," ca. 1940-1943, was taken at the height of Swank's photographic career, shortly before his death in 1944.

In 2008, Chris Murphy, Senior Planner in Planning, Zoning & Development for the town of Leesburg, VA., took and donated a color photograph of "Kidwell's Market" to Thomas Balch Library as a comparative image to Swank's.

Related Material

Leesburg Architectural Surveys, 1971-2002 (M016)

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Bibliography

Leesburg Architectural Surveys, 1971-2002 (M 016), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, Virginia

Luke Swank: Modernist Photographer, http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/6aa/6aa109.htm, accessed 8 January 2010.

Smith, Kathryn Gettings, Evelyn D. Causey, and Edna Johnston. Exploring Leesburg: Guide to History and Architecture . Leesburg, Va: Town of Leesburg, 2003.

VC_0021_0001 is held at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburg and may be used here for research purposes only.

Other Finding Aid

PastPerfect Catalogue Records

Technical Requirements

Electronic Media