Wedding portraits from the 19th century are quite common, but photographs of wedding ceremonies are rare. A penciled caption on the back of this photograph states that Will Prentiss is the groom. But, according to marriage records and newspaper accounts, this photograph documents the wedding of George Prentiss and Gertrude McKissick. The photograph was taken on September 27, 1897, under the bell on the porch of the Hot Springs Hotel in Canon City, Colorado. After the ceremony, the couple traveled to Denver by train for their honeymoon.
Photographer George Christian Fricke was born on January 27, 1867 in Germany. He immigrated to the United States in 1884, likely bringing along his photographic skills. In 1888, Fricke owned a photography business with Bretzman in Pueblo, Colorado. By 1892, he was working as a photographer in Canon City, Colorado, and running a branch gallery in Westcliffe, Colorado. Fricke’s photographs illustrated the July 25, 1901, special edition of the Canon City Record, dedicated to the growth of the city and its influential business and civic leaders.
In November 1901, Fricke sold his gallery to the Mills Sisters, photographers from Chicago. In March 1902, the Fricke family left Canon City, living briefly in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Seattle, Washington, before settling in Vancouver, British Columbia. He partnered with photographer George W. Schenck. The firm traveled to the suburbs of Vancouver, setting up temporary galleries.
By 1920, Fricke was living in Aberdeen, Washington, working as a logger. George C. Fricke died on May 23, 1947 in Aberdeen, Washington. He was buried in that city’s Fern Hill Cemetery.
Thank you to History Colorado staff, Jori Johnson, Collections Access Coordinator, and Aaron Marcus, Digital Imaging Studio Manager.
