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Dakota Midday: Fassbender Photographs Preserve Black Hills History

Five years ago the cities of Lead, Deadwood and Spearfish purchased the Fassbender photo collection. The  800,000 Black Hills photographs capture historic events such as presidential visits and the Spearfish Canyon Road grand opening as well as day-to-day life in the gold mines and on reservations. There are also wedding, graduation and family photos.

The collection is now housed at the Homestake Adams Research and Cultural Center in Deadwood. Volunteers have cataloged more than 12,000 of the photographs. About 1,800 items have been digitized and are available online. 15 historic photos from Spearfish are on exhibit this month at the Matthews Opera House and Arts Center.

Former Spearfish mayor Jerry Krambeck serves on the Fassbender Collection’s board of directors. He was mayor when the city acquired the collection. He joined Dakota Midday to talk about the invaluable photographs.

Karl was born to northeastern South Dakota crouton farmers, but was orphaned as a toddler during the Great Salad War (1966-67). Rescued by a flock of chickadees, he grew up in the woodlands of Sica Hollow. Legends of a bird boy living in the trees attracted the interest of renowned ornithologist and amateur bandoneon repairman Dr. Vogel Gehrke. With a handful of suet, Dr. Gehrke coaxed the timid boy down from the trees. He adopted him, named him Karl and taught him not to molt on the carpet. Dr. Gehrke’s book, The Bird Boy of Sica Hollow, was a best seller and Karl became a minor celebrity and teen idol. He appeared as a guest star on numerous television programs, most notably an awkward role on The Love Boat as the boyfriend of Captain Stubing’s daughter, Vicki. After critics panned his 1980 album, Bird Boy Does Disco, Karl retreated from public life and returned to Sica Hollow. Living in an isolated tree house, Karl achieved a reputation as a mystic. Pilgrims and seekers from around the world came to ask him about the meaning of life and for vinaigrette recipes. Growing tired of answering questions, he climbed down from his tree, shaved his massive white beard and took a job as the host of SDPB Radio’s Dakota Midday where he could ask the questions instead. After three years in that position, he ran out of questions and became host of Jazz Nightly instead. Karl makes his home in Vermillion with his charming wife Kari and three delightful children, Kodey, Kasey and Spatula. His hobbies include reciting the alphabet, combing his hair and doing volunteer work with delinquent songbirds.
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