Lafayette Studios photographs: 1930s decade

Subjects: Historic buildings--Kentucky--Lexington.; Lexington (Ky.); Lexington (Ky.)--History--Pictorial works.; Lexington (Ky.)--Social life and customs--Pictorial works.

Arrangement: The collection is arranged by Lafayette Studios-assigned invoice number, listed in the guide as the item number for each image. The numbers are in a rough chronological order. Multiple images in an invoice group are represented by the invoice number, followed by an alphabetical qualifier: a, b, c, etc. The numbers are not contiguous and the many gaps in the collection represent missing invoice/work orders. University of Kentucky Archives has no information on the content or fate of the missing invoice groups. Most invoice groups (represented as whole numbers) contain more than one image.

Finding Aid Author: Richard Leigh, Jacob Broderick, Christian Trombetta and Jessica Powell under the supervision of Jason Flahardy

Preferred Citation: 96PA101: [identification of item], Collection on Lafayette Studios, University of Kentucky Archives.

Biography / History: Robert J. "Bob" Long and his wife, Ida Nelson Long, opened Lafayette Studios in 1923, operating it out of the New Johns Building at 108 Walnut Street (now Martin Luther King Boulevard) in Lexington, Kentucky. Bob and Ida Long already had a few years experience in still and moving image photography and Bob Long worked as a projectionist at the newly opened Kentucky Theatre on East Main Street. In 1925, they expanded their business and moved the studio space to 311 West Main Street. By the early 1930s, the Longs bought out their main competitor, Starman Studios. Around this time, Bob Long left his job at the Kentucky Theatre and focused on building Lafayette Studios into Lexington's most successful photographic studio. In the late 1930s, the Longs moved again, this time to the Starman Studio space, at 301 West Main Street. By 1941, they moved again, settling into 141-143 North Limestone; it was to be the studio's home until 1984. In 1959, the Longs sold Lafayette Studios to Chester Wainscott and Goy Goforth and retired. After 1962, Wainscott became the sole owner and operator until the studio closed in 1985 at its final location of 111 South Limestone.

Scope and Content: This finding aid lists the 1930s images produced by Lafayette Studios (6,543 items; dated 1930-1939). The Lafayette Studios photographs consists of 17,269 photographic negatives (52.0 cubic feet, 115 boxes) in the 8x10, 5x7, and 4x5 formats and both nitrate and acetate base materials are present. Scenes of commercial real estate in downtown Lexington predominate, but civil and social groups are represented, as well as photographic orders filled at the request of private individuals that cover a wide array of subject matter.

Use Restrictions: All rights to the photographs, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Archives. Photographs may be reproduced with permission from Audio-Visual Archives, University of Kentucky Libraries.