This image is of The American Quartet and Mandolin Club posed in front of “Rocky Mountain Joe,” Joseph Sturtevant’s photography studio, in Chautauqua Park, Colorado around 1900. Joseph Sturtevant took up photography in 1884 and became one of the region’s most prominent photographers. Reportedly, Sturtevant was known for his tall tales and preference for wearing buck skin long after that trend had faded. His materials can be found in the University Museum Collection at the CU boulder Archives, the Carnegie Branch Library in Boulder, and Denver Public Library Western History and Genealogy Department.
The University of Colorado Boulder Libraries will celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Archives on June 6, 2018. This is story #11 in our series: 100 Stories for 100 Years from the Archives!