Fall and the Cushman Collection

57 years ago, one of America's most prolific amateur photographers added an Autumn day in the Ozarks to his collection. The shots belonged to Charles W. Cushman, an Indiana University alum who willed over 14,000 Kodachrome slides to his alma matter upon his passing in 1972. It's a staggering body of color photography from the pre-digital era, and the school's Digital Library Program has worked to bring fingertip access to these works. With Fall colors at full-tilt, I thought it would be appropriate to share a few.

[Charles W. Cushman Photograph Collection]
Indiana University Archives


Adair County, OK


Oklahoma 62 near Muskogee

His focus was on road trips made in the United States and worldwide from the 1930s through the 1960s. For fans of mid-century motoring culture and roadside exploration like myself, and the Cushman Collection is a treasure. Even the Ozarks made it into his travels. Through the lens of heavily saturated Kodachrome color, he photographed his October 1952 drive across Oklahoma Highway 62, through Arkansas, and up to Springfield, Missouri, and beyond.


In front of Old Main at the University of Arkansas


Fiery foliage on US 62 near Eureka Springs, AR

Cushman photographed just about pictures of everything, not just the postcard vistas and urban scenes, but all the sights that comprised motoring America. Indiana History professor Eric Sandweiss is a study of Cushman, and penned an excellent overview of his work. The pictures are impressive in both breadth and quantity, forming a comprehensive documentary of American life and travel in the era before the Interstate highway system.


Downtown Eureka Springs


White River near Eureka Springs

If you're not careful, the site will consume an hour or two of your time. A less risky option might be to browse a slide show of selected photos put together by Indiana University.


Horsing around in Harrison, AR


Old Chevy, new mule in Harrison

Through Cushman's slides, we can see moments captured from the constant flux in human and natural landscapes. The takeaway is that a wealth of sights and experiences are ripe for discovery if you're willing to find them. I've quickly realized the Ozarks alone can afford a lifetime of experiences, and that I have a lot of miles to go.