Source: South Dakota State Archives

WE ARE FOCUSED ON ENSURING SOUTH DAKOTA DIGITAL COLLECTIONS ARE NOT JUST LOST AND ARE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC

Alpha Mortenson Collection

Alpha Mortenson was born near Platte on May 26, 1887, to Johan and Anne Mortenson. She attended the Platte public school and continued her education at Jewell Lutheran College in Jewell, Iowa.  She later studied photography and had photo studios in Platte, Lake Andes, and Lake Park, Minnesota. During her career as a photographer (ca. 1910-1949) she took thousands of photos documenting the people and activities of southeastern South Dakota and Charles Mix County. She died in Tabor on November 14, 1950. 

• The Alpha Mortenson collection consists of roughly 13 cubic feet of materials relating to the photographer Alpha Mortenson. 
• These images are preserved on 2,498 fragile glass plate negatives and 1,303 photo prints donated by Alpha’s family to the South Dakota State Historical Society.
• The images show day-to-day activities and work scenes, funerals and weddings, stores and soda shops, children, and cowboys.  There are many portraits of local residents.

3,801 photographs need to be digitized and cataloged..........................................$85,114

Yes, I want to help make Alpha Mortenson's work available for the world to see.