Winkelmann’s Studio founder F.C. Winkelmann (1874-1959) was born in Germany, where he was raised in an upper middle-class family. Around 1890, F.C. immigrated to New York without any ability to speak English, and he stayed in New York long enough to save money for a steamer trip to Galveston. Soon, he made his way to Brenham, where he worked in a furniture factory for two years until he was able to purchase a 50% interest in the Tom Holland Studio, which he changed to Winkelmann Photographer in 1894. For nearly sixty years, F.C. operated the studio in Brenham, while in the meantime he purchased interest in the local Brenham bank, helped launch the local newspaper The Banner-Press, and had seven children with his wife (who died in 1966).
One of those children, W.S. Winkelmann, took the studio over in 1952 after several years in life insurance sales and with little experience in photography. With assistance from a few helpful Texas Photographers Association members, W.S. continued operating the studio, as well as serving as a director for the Brenham bank and Blue Bell Creamery.
In 1972, W.S.’s son Norman inherited the family studio, and he, while maintaining the same close community ties as his father and grandfather, photographed Brenham and the surrounding area until 1991, when the studio closed.
From the guide to the Winkelmann Photograph Collection AR 2005-80., 1906-1991, (University of Texas at Austin, Center for American History)
