Beecher Island Photos

Beecher

Photographs

This W.B. Coston photograph shows members of the Wray and Vernon G.A.R. posts with their families at the September 1899 meeting that founded the Beecher Island Battlefield Association. The pile of stones is the first monument erected by three Forsyth Scouts in the fall of 1898, on the 30th anniversary of the battle.

1899 GAR Meeting

This photograph was taken at the 1901 dedication of the wooden monument that was erected by the Association. The rocks in the center are probably those of the 1898 Scout cairn.

1901 Meeting

This photograph shows the 1905 monument and the tent meetings held until the Assocation constructed a building on the north bank of the Arikaree in the late 1920s.

1905 Reunion

A few of the surviving Forsyth Scouts who attended the 1905 reunion. From the left: George Green, J.J. Peate, Hutch Farley and Howard Morton. The right-hand section of this print was missing but the arm and shoulder are those of Chalmers Smith.

Scouts

September 8, 1921

September 13, 1923

March 26, 1925

September 24, 1925

1925-1934 Photographs

This detail shows the relationship between the Association building, the county road bridge and the 1905 monument located on the south bank of the river.
Detail from previous photo

1929 Reunion Photographs - contributed by Dallas Riedesel

The photograph with the gentleman in front of the monument has a note on the back of the photo: The last scout living that came back to help and one of the youngest. .

September 25, 1930
The Kirk neighborhood reporter commented "Quite a crowd attended the Beecher Island reunion, but as far as entertainment was concerned, it did not amount to much."

Footbridge erected by the Association.

Shot from the stage of the Association building. The "temporary" board wall shows quite well in this image and the preceding one of the footbridge.
Interior of Building