1940's Photographs Evansville, IN

200+ black and white photographs taken during the 1940's by Donahue Studios. Donahue Studios was based in Evansville Indiana. DonahueStudiosphotographs.com

Donahue Studios

FROM THE BOOK:

Brothers Harry and Ansel Wallace employed Richard F. Donahue part-time while he was still a student at Reitz Memorial High School in the late 1930’s and full-time upon graduation.  One Wallace brother passed away in 1941 and the other in 1946.  Richard and others operated the business for the two Wallace widows.  In 1949, Richard purchased the business and changed the name to Richard F. Donahue, Commercial Photographers.

 While still students at Reitz Memorial High School, brothers Thomas and Patrick began working part-time with Richard; Thomas in the 1940’s and Patrick in the 1950’s.  In the early 1960’s Thomas Donahue became a partner and the business name was changed to Donahue Studios, Inc.  Except for stints in the military, Richard (U.S. Army, 1943-1945), Thomas (U.S. Air Force), and Patrick (U.S. Army), spent their entire careers at 626 Court Street.

For every photograph like those in the General, Religion, and Sports categories, there are probably 200-300 photographs of products.  Every new product needed something to help sell it.  While waiting for Keller-Cresent or Heim & Ritchel (later Creative Press) to print catalogs, salesmen could hit the road with 8x10 or 11x14 prints.  This book is solely black and white because no color photographs from the 1940’s were found.

At its peak, Donahue Studios employed sixteen people.  In addition to photographers, the staff included lab technicians to mix chemistry, process films, make prints, slides and offset printing negatives.  In the 1980’s graphic artist services were added.  The business closed in 1998.

James J. Donahue III