H. H. Buckwalter Collection

Harry H. Buckwalter was Colorado's first professional photojournalist, working in that capacity for the Denver Republican in 1894 and the Denver News in 1895 and 1896. An ardent scientific dabbler, he made the first medical X-ray images in the Rocky Mountain West in March, 1896, and later that year produced the first X-ray photographs introduced as evidence in an American court of law. Buckwalter either promoted or documented other technological developments of his day, including radio broadcasting, the solar generation of steam and electric power, and aerial photography from helium balloons. From about 1908 until his death in 1930, Buckwalter played an active role in America's burgeoning motion picture film industry, first as the proprietor of the Moving Picture Equipment Company of Denver, and later as an independent film producer and as agent to Selig Polyscope. The Buckwalter photography collection of more than 1,800 gelatin dry plate negatives reflects Buckwalter's view of progress and his sheer instinct for the newsworthy event.

Here are some sample scans from the collection and associated catalog records from the web site.