One-room schoolhouses, like this one from the early 1900s, were the norm around much of the state during the 1800s and early 20th century. Photographer and collector Lloyd Smith rescued this photo and thousands of others to create an archive that reveals much about everyday life in rural Southern Oregon during the frontier era.
Lloyd Smith Photo Collections
Every week, Oregon Experience shares a photo highlighting the state's diverse, exciting history.
At the turn of the 20th century, rural Southern Oregon was still an isolated, rugged frontier. Over the years, most photos of its sparse population were lost or carelessly destroyed. But photographer Lloyd Smith has spent nearly 35 years collecting thousands of vintage regional images: old photos, postcards, glass plates and negatives.
Smith has been carefully preserving and digitally scanning everything from studio portraits to candid family gatherings. Now he is sharing his albums online, revealing the lives of forgotten inhabitants from those decades.
Watch the Oregon Experience documentary “Capturing Oregon’s Frontier” to learn about this recovered history.
This series is in partnership with The Oregon Historical Society