Historic Black Hills Studios is home to the Fassbender Photographic Collection. The collection may rank among the most significant photographic resources for historians of the American West.
The collection is co-owned by the municipalities of Lead Deadwood and Spearfish in South Dakota. Potentially, many never before seen images of the early days of the entire Black Hills region are in the collection. The grand opening of Spearfish Canyon Road, presidential visits and a vast selection of early mining photos are among the many images that will have great interest to the general public. Also included are graduation, wedding and family photos that will be useful to genealogists.
The Fassbenders’ interest in the Lakota culture yielded a large quantity of work documenting day-to-day life on reservations early in the 20th century, as well as traditional Lakota ceremonies on and off the reservation. Also the Fassbenders were accomplished rodeo photographers who shot images year after year at the Days of 76 and Black Hills Roundup, parades and small rodeo events in the region.
Enjoy browsing the collection and send us your comments. You may also send us your comments by email. You may contact us by email at: fassbendercollection@gmail.com. Images are available for commercial or personal use. Contact us for the form and details.
BOARD MEMBERS
City of Spearfish
Julianne Zoller Paul Young Elise Fowlkes Jerry Krambeck (city liason)
City of Lead Gary Linn Sharon Chadwick vacant John Wainman (city liason)
City of Deadwood John Martinisko (Term Expires May 31, 2023) Mary Ann Oberlander (Term Expires May 31, 2022) Vicki Dar (Term Expires May 31, 2024) Kevin Kuchenbecker (city liaison)