The photographs depict life in Edinboro PA at the turn of the 20th century. There are some images of the Edinboro State Normal School campus, but mostly they are of the town of Edinboro. The images were developed from glass plate negatives as part of a project done by Edinboro faculty John Marsh and Karl Nordberg. The negatives are not in the collection.
Lawrence Vincent Kupper was born October 31, 1864 in Germershire, Germany. He immigrated to New York City and found work as a salesperson for a photographic supply company. In the late 1880's or perhaps early 1890's, he set up a photography shop in Edinboro on Meadville St. He was married in 1895. The 1905 fire destroyed his studio at a loss estimated at $5,000. He reestablished his business in a street-front building just south of Meadville St. Kupper was active in the community being a member of the Oasis Lodge, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church from 1902-36. After his death in 1957, there was no effort to keep his photographs. At one point they were put out on tables in the church basement and given away to anyone who was interested. Many of Kupper's negatives were acquired by Edinboro University Professors John Marsh and Karl Nordberg. Together they used the photographs to publish "Edinboro: A Dirt Street Town" and "Edinboro: The Journey's End." Kupper had a close relationship with Edinboro State Normal School. He was on the Board of Trustees and he was the primary photographer. Class photographs, yearbook pictures, and photographs appearing in the catalogs were frequently taken by Kupper.
