L. F. Foster Wild West Scrapbooks, Photographs, and Copy Negatives
name: label: Photographer
content: Foster, L. F.
label: Collector
content: Foster, L. F.
label: Names
content: 101 Ranch Wild West Show
label: Names
content: Buffalo Bill, 1846-1917
label: Names
content: Pawnee Bill
topic: label: Topic
content: Cowboys
label: Topic
content: Cowgirls
label: Topic
content: Western shows
label: Topic
content: Rodeos
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Donated to the Smithsonian Institution in 1933 by Foster's sister, Louise T. Foster, and his brother, John H. Foster.
creator: label: Photographer
content: Foster, L. F.
label: Collector
content: Foster, L. F.
culture: label: Culture
content: Indians of North America -- 1890-1920
setName: label: See more items in
content: L. F. Foster Wild West Scrapbooks, Photographs, and Copy Negatives
abstract: label: Summary
content: Collection documents Wild West Shows in Oklahoma and Washington, particularly the career of Lewis Frederick Foster who was known for his showmanship and skills.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Lewis Frederick Foster was born in Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts to James Foster and Elizabeth T. Frederick on September 19, 1861. He married Leona [Rosamond] Stockman on September 30, 1890 in Boston, Massachusetts.  The Fosters had one daughter Leona Rosamond born in 1897. Foster 
performed on horseback in shows across the West including the Wild West Show in Oklahoma, the Frontier Show in Cheyenne, Washington, and the 101 Ranch Wild West Show. He was known as a 'Rough and Fancy Rider' and a 'Revolver Expert'. Foster died on March 4, 1924 at the age of sixty- two in Modesto, Stanislaus County, California and is buried in Acacia Memorial Park.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 2 Cubic feet (5 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1888-1921
custodhist: label: Custodial History
content: Transferred to the Archives Center from the National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.1289
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Albums
label: Type
content: Bills
label: Type
content: Clippings
label: Type
content: Photographs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged into one series.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: The collection was processed by Sarah Gediman, intern, 2019; Julia Gibson, intern, 2019; and Savannah Hildre, intern, 2019; supervised by Vanessa Broussard-Simmons, archivist, 2019.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Albums
label: Genre/Form
content: Bills
label: Genre/Form
content: Clippings
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 1890-1910 -- Black-and-white photoprints
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Consists of two scrapbook albums documenting the career of Lewis Frederick Foster.  Materials also relate to western shows, rodeos, Buffalo Bill Cody, Pawnee Bill, and the 101 Ranch Wild West Show. Many other individual showmen, including American Indians, are also represented. Information in the collection indicates that Foster was an amateur photographer. It is unclear if the photographs are the work of Foster or if he assembled the album himself.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History


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Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, NMAH.AC.0060


Sonora Carver Papers, NMAH.AC0.521