DailyDOCUMERICA

Thanks to the hard work of Camilla Ayers, librarian at the Rockport Public Library, I’ve been able to identify Rockport’s “Swedish painter”. Camilla was able to track down this man’s daughter, Sonja Dahlgren Pryor. Mrs. Pryor tells us, via hand-written note and email, that her father’s name was Henrik Dahlgren! Henrik was born in Sweden. He convinced his wife to move to the United States in 1929. Mrs. Pryor tells us that he “worked in many capacities in the art field - everything from interior decorating to murals and painting in oils.” During the World War II era, Dahlgren worked on defense projects in Detroit, Michigan, including the Norton Bombsite, the B-29 bomber and other military projects … he illustrated many military booklets, mostly in water color and air brush. She goes on to say that Dahlgren and his wife moved to Rockport in 1970 where he lived until his death.

What amazing research! Tipping my hat again to the Camilla Ayers and her colleagues at the Rockport Public Library. Thanks so much for investing your valuable time in identifying these Rockport photographs.

From the original post, December 2011:

Who is this man? He’s described as a “Swedish painter now living in Rockport”. The photo is dated February 1973. Help me identify the Swedish Painter of Rockport, Mass.!

More citizens from Rockport, Massachusetts, make it into DOCUMERICA. Here are some school kids singing the Star-spangled Banner at Rockport Elementary School. Taken by Deborah Parks in February 1973.

Do any of these kids look familiar?

We learned about Gene Shorty Lesch in yesterday’s post. Here’s a photograph of the outside of his pewter shop in the Bearskin Neck area of Rockport.

Original caption: Sunday tourists at The Weathervane pewter shop owned by Rockport’s harbor master. Bearskin Neck at Rockport, 2/1973. Photograph by Deborah Parks

Is the Weathervane pewter shop still operating in Rockport?

This man is identified as “Worker with the Rockport Public Works Department”. Photograph by Deborah Parks, February 1973.

Can you identify this Rockport, Mass., citizen?

Locals at the lunch counter of Poole’s Rexall Drugstore, Rockport Harbor, Massachusetts, February 1973. Photograph by Deborah Parks.

Can you identify any of these men?

The original caption for this February 1973 Deborah Parks photograph describes him as the “Local Cil Delivery Man” at Poole’s Rexall Drugstore” in Rockport, Massachusetts. Can anyone help me identify this man? I be the folks at the local Rockport Historical Society might be able to help!

Thanks to the hard work of Camilla Ayers, librarian at the Rockport Public Library, I’ve been able to identify Rockport’s “Swedish painter”. Camilla was able to track down this man’s daughter, Sonja Dahlgren Pryor. Mrs. Pryor tells us, via hand-written note and email, that her father’s name was Henrik Dahlgren! Henrik was born in Sweden. He convinced his wife to move to the United States in 1929. Mrs. Pryor tells us that he “worked in many capacities in the art field - everything from interior decorating to murals and painting in oils.” During the World War II era, Dahlgren worked on defense projects in Detroit, Michigan, including the Norton Bombsite, the B-29 bomber and other military projects … he illustrated many military booklets, mostly in water color and air brush. She goes on to say that Dahlgren and his wife moved to Rockport in 1970 where he lived until his death.

What amazing research! Tipping my hat again to the Camilla Ayers and her colleagues at the Rockport Public Library. Thanks so much for investing your valuable time in identifying these Rockport photographs.

From the original post, December 2011:

Who is this man? He’s described as a “Swedish painter now living in Rockport”. The photo is dated February 1973. Help me identify the Swedish Painter of Rockport, Mass.!

Old Salt!

Original caption: A Rockport citizen bids good morning with a tip of his hat, Feb. 1973. Photograph by Deborah Parks.