McKay, Rollin H., 1878-1960

Born in Nebraska in 1878, Rollin H. McKay came to Missoula, Montana, from Coos Bay, Oregon, in 1905. He practiced barbering with George Miller who operated a barber shop in the First National Bank building on East Front Street in Missoula.

By 1911, he was in business as a commercial photographer in the Higgins Bank building. The noted Missoula photographer of the day was F. M. Ingalls who had been photographing Missoula people and scenes since the 1880s. By 1915 Ingalls no longer was in the photography business and McKay had moved to the First National Bank building on the corner of Higgins Avenue and Front Street, the former location of Ingalls' studio. In 1924 McKay built his own building at 120 North Higgins. During his career, McKay was the prominent photographer of Missoula. He photographed Missoula street scenes, outdoor views of the Missoula vicinity, native American scenes and Missoula area people.

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