Harry Mellon Rhoads (who called himself the "fat photographer")
was born in Unionville, Berks County, Pennsylvania, on August 28,
1881. He attended East and West High Schools in Denver, and after
graduation began his career as a newspaper photographer with the Denver
Republican. Until his retirement from the Rocky Mountain News
in 1969, Harry continued to work as a newspaper photographer. Harry
was a family man. He married twice and was the proud father of two
daughters -- Mary Elizabeth and Harriet. The Rhoads collection contains
numerous family photographs.
Harry photographed many political leaders, including every president
from Teddy Roosevelt to Dwight Eisenhower. He took pictures of the
leading celebrities and socialites of his day, criminals and crime
scenes, tragedies such as fires and automobile crashes, his extended
family including the Charles C. Gates family and his favorite subject
-- women. Many of Rhoads' photographs reflect his great sense of humor
and his zany personality.
The Denver Public Library acquired this collection in 1983.
Approximately 2,500 images from the Library's 5,800 glass plates and
film negatives have been digitized. For more information about this
collection, please contact the Denver Public Library.
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Eleanor Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt (parade), William H. Taft and Franklin D. Roosevelt
Robberies, prohibition raids and murder.
