Nowell, Frank H., 1864-1950

Frank H. Nowell (1864-1950) was a photographer who worked in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. He was the official photographer of the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition.

Frank H. Nowell (1864-1950) was born on 19 February in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. His father, Thomas Nowell, spent part of each year in Alaska for business purposes, and in 1886, Frank joined him. In 1894, Nowell married Elizabeth Davis of Detroit and the couple moved to the west coast where their daugher, Dorothy, was born. In 1900, leaving his wife and daughter behind, Nowell returned to Alaska and involved himself in various business ventures. When his family joined him later, his wife brought along his camera and Nowell opened a photography studio in Nome. He traveled frequently between Nome and Seattle and by 1908 was spending most of his time in the latter city. In 1909, he became the official photographer of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. After the fair, Nowell remained in Seattle where he operated a photography studio for 25 years. He died on 19 October 1950.

Born in 1864 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Frank Nowell joined his father, Thomas Nowell, in Alaska in 1886. Frank Nowell worked in various capacities in the gold fields, settling in Teller in 1900, where he ran a mining supply store and pursued his growing interest in photography. He established a studio in Nome and proceeded to make a photographic chronicle of the region, capturing panoramas and street scenes from various localities. Eventually he moved to Seattle where he was appointed official photographer for the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition in 1909. Nowell operated several photography studios until he retired in the late 1940s.

Photographer.

Frank H. Nowell was born on 19 Feb. 1864 in Portsmouth, N.H., one of six sons of Thomas and Lydia Ham Nowell. The elder Nowell spent part of each year in Alaska for business purposes, and in 1886, at age twenty-two, Frank joined him, setting sail for Juneau with six cows and one bull to begin the first dairy ranch in Alaska. He soon sold that business and joined his father operating a mining company on Douglas Island near Juneau. Over the years, Frank continued to work in Alaska in various capacities in his father's business ventures. On one of his trips back to the east coast, Nowell took up photography as a hobby. He also met Elizabeth Helen Davis of Detroit and the two were married in 1894. Frank and Elizabeth moved to the west coast, where Frank set up an office as a purchasing agent for his father's company in Juneau. They lived in California for a time, in San Francisco, Oakland, and Pacific Grove, where their daughter Dorothy was born. Leaving his family behind, Frank returned to Alaska, first to Juneau and then, in 1900, to Nome. Nowell was involved in business ventures for several years, neglecting his photography until Elizabeth brought his camera to Alaska when she and Dorothy met him in Teller, where Nowell was working for the Ames Mercantile Company. Nowell began to make photographs of Alaska and its native people; before long, he opened a studio on Second Avenue and Steadman Street in Nome and was making photographs full time. Nowell photographed businessmen, city officials, native Alaskans, railroads, hydraulic mining and waterways and ports, creating a visual record of Alaska just after the turn of the century. Nowell traveled between Nome and Seattle while an assistant ran the Nome studio, and by 1908 was spending most of his time in Seattle. Around 1908, J.E. Chilberg, president of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition (AYPE) in Seattle, appointed Nowell as the fair's official photographer. Nowell's many AYPE photographs were displayed at the fair and used in many official publications. After the APYE, Nowell remained in Seattle, running a commercial photography studio for twenty-five years. In the 1940s, Nowell retired and lived with his daughter on his ranch at Crystal Lake, where he died on 19 Oct. 1950.

Frank H. Nowell was born on February 19, 1864 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, one of six sons of Thomas and Lydia Ham Nowell. The elder Nowell spent part of each year in Alaska for business purposes, and in 1886, at age 22, Frank joined him, setting sail for Juneau with six cows and one bull to begin the first dairy ranch in Alaska. He soon sold that business and joined his father operating a mining company on Douglas Island near Juneau. Over the years, Frank continued to work in Alaska in various capacities in his father's business ventures.

On one of his trips back to the east coast, Nowell took up photography as a hobby. He also met Elizabeth Helen Davis of Detroit and the two were married in 1894. Frank and Elizabeth moved to the west coast, where Frank set up an office as a purchasing agent for his father's company in Juneau. They lived in California for a time, in San Francisco, Oakland and Pacific Grove, where their daughter Dorothy was born. Leaving his family behind, Frank returned to Alaska, first to Juneau and then, in 1900, to Nome. Nowell was involved in business ventures for several years, neglecting his photography until Elizabeth brought his camera to Alaska when she and Dorothy met him in Teller, where Nowell was working for the Ames Mercantile Company. Nowell began to make photographs of Alaska and its native people; before long, he opened a studio on Second Avenue and Steadman Street in Nome and was making photographs full time. Nowell photographed businessmen, city officials, native Alaskans, railroads, hydraulic mining and waterways and ports, creating a visual record of Alaska just after the turn of the century.

Nowell traveled between Nome and Seattle while an assistant ran the Nome studio, and by 1908 was spending most of his time in Seattle. Around 1908, J.E. Chilberg, president of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle, appointed Nowell as the fair’s official photographer. Nowell’s many AYPE photographs were displayed at the fair and used in many official publications.

After the APYE, Nowell remained in Seattle, running a commercial photography studio for 25 years. In the 1940s, Nowell retired and lived with his daughter on his ranch at Crystal Lake, where he died on October 19, 1950.