Dobson Elementary - 1950 - Lancaster SC Photos

Students at Dobson Elementary School, located at 1636 Alpha Road, run towards Lavoy Bauknight's camera during recess in 1950. 

The Lancaster County Library bookmobile can be seen in the background. 

(Photo by Lavoy Bauknight via The Lancaster Archive)

LHS JV Cheerleaders - 1989 - Lancaster SC Photos

LHS JV cheerleaders pose for a group portrait in 1989. (Photo by The Lancaster News via The Lancaster Archive)

Catawba Fish Camp

 

Many thanks to Catawba Fish Camp for helping bring hundreds of celebrated images to life from Lancaster County's visual history!

LHS Cheerleaders - 1989 - Lancaster SC Photos

LHS cheerleaders pose for a group portrait in 1989. (Photo by The Lancaster News via The Lancaster Archive) 

Hot Air Balloon Celebrating Springs 100th Anniversary - 1987 - Lancaster SC Photos

A hot air balloon celebrates the 100th anniversary of Springs while sitting outside the Springs customer service building in Lancaster in 1987. (Photo by The Lancaster News via The Lancaster Archive) 

Lancaster Motor Speedway - 1989 - Lancaster Motor Speedway

Race cars and fans are seen near turn one at Lancaster Motor Speedway in March of 1989. The track has hosted thousands of races since it opened in 1954.

Did you know? In December of 2021, NASCAR used the speedway to test its Next Gen car for the dirt race at Bristol.

(Photo by The Lancaster News via The Lancaster Archive

Boy Scouts at Philmont Scout Ranch - 1976

Lancaster boy scouts pose for a group portrait at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico in 1976. 

The ranch opened in 1939 and is known as one of the top, high-adventure camps in the country. At 140,000 acres, it is the world's largest youth camp. 

(Photo from The Bob Hardin collection via The Lancaster Archive)

Buford Schools Aerial - 1951 - Lancaster SC Photos

Schools are seen in the Buford community on Rocky River Rd. in this 1951 aerial photograph. 

Bethlehem Baptist Church can be seen near the bottom. The Little General store building can be seen at left of center. 

(Photo by Lavoy Studio via The Lancaster Archive)

Red Rose Baseball Team - 1932 - Lancaster SC

The Lancaster (SC) Red Rose semi-pro baseball team poses for a group photo after defeating The Charlotte Firemen in the 1932 Carolinas Championship.

Included in this photo but not in order are bat boy Ray Wallace, M.I. Griffin, M.J. Wright, Therio Pittman, First name unknown for Knox, Ustis Myers, Will Smart, Roy Banks, Sam Pressley, Maxie Welks and Grady Boldin. (Photo via The Lancaster Archive)

Lancaster Feed and Farm Storefront - 1963 - Lancaster SC Photos

Lancaster Feed and Farm is seen on Market St. in 1963. The popular store sold plants, outdoor playground equipment, lawn mowers, sporting goods and more. This location is not far from the American Legion baseball field, which would be to the left of this building. (Photo by Lee Studio via The Lancaster Archive) 

Lancaster Feed & Farm

The sales floor at Lancaster Feed and Farm is seen in 1963. The popular hardware store sold everything from tools to baseball gloves and more. 

The business, which was always busy on Saturday mornings, was located on Market St., not far from the Lancaster County Fairgrounds. 

(Photo by Lee Studio via The Lancaster Archive) 

 

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St Luke Methodist Junior Choir - 1962

Children in the St. Luke United Methodist junior choir pose for a group portrait at the church in April of 1962. In front is Dr. Marshall, who directed the choir. (Photo by Lavoy Studio via The Lancaster Archive)  

Girl Scouts Day Camp - 1965 - Lancaster SC Photos

Girl Scout leader Sarah Porter, seated and wearing a box on her head, laughs with another troop leader while entertaining members during a day camp in Lancaster in June of 1965. (Photo by Lee Studio via The Lancaster Archive) 

Ledell Steele at Steele's Food Store - 1963 - Lancaster SC Photos

Ledell Steele, owner of Steele's Food Store bounces a ball outside his business in downtown Lancaster in 1963. Steele owned two grocery stores and was mayor of Lancaster from 1953 through 1966. Many locals may also remember Steele's son, Ledell, operating Steele's food store at the intersection of Meeting and Wylie streets. (Photo by Lavoy Studio via The Lancaster Archive) 

New Sponsor - Lancaster Barber Shop

The Lancaster Archive welcomes Lancaster Barber Shop as a new sponsor! Get a sharp look by Andrew at 115 S White St, which is near the "Lank Kiss Stir" mural.

Hours are M-F 9:00 to 5:00

PHONE: 704.292.3765

Thanks to all the sponsors who help bring hundreds of celebrated images to life from Lancaster County's visual history!

Photographer Spotlight - Lavoy Bauknight

 

PHOTOGRAPHER SPOTLIGHT

Many of the celebrated images on The Lancaster Archive were created by Lavoy Bauknight (1920-1995), who operated Lavoy Studio from 1947 to 1988. The Lancaster native graduated from LHS and later from Wofford. 

Here, in the 1960s, Lavoy poses beside his airplane while holding his massive, 4x5 professional camera, which produced film negatives over three times the size of 35mm format. The result was a higher-quality image compared to 35mm. 

Early in his career, after several flights with a pilot who couldn't get Bauknight the exact angle he wanted, Lavoy got his own plane and pilot's license. This allowed him to get the perfect angle in flight. He would get the aircraft in position, lift the window, which would stay up on its own thanks to the wind, then aim his 4x5 camera to get the shot.

He was considered by many to be ahead of his time, as evidenced by his breathtaking aerials of Lancaster and nighttime images of Main Street.  

He was the first photographer in Lancaster to place multiple, full-size studio lights on Main St. during Christmas parades, producing beautifully lit images of the floats at night.

When he was not in an airplane, he could still be found high above, usually in the bucket of a fire truck or on top of a building, making pictures of downtown Lancaster. 

He operated a retail camera shop and studio on The Springs Block for years and later moved to a location near Twin Pines on North Main St. 

As a member and president of The Professional Photographers of America's SC Chapter, he won dozens of awards at the group's annual Columbia meeting and inspired photographers statewide with his dramatic, panoramic pictures of Lancaster's Main Street.

This image was made possible by:

 

Tom Mangum Bridge Construction - 1985 - Lancaster SC Photos

A boat is lifted out of the water during the construction of the Tom Mangum bridge, left, in Aug. of 1985 at the Nitrolee Dam. 

Tom Mangum represented Lancaster in the S.C. House of Representatives. 

(Photo by The Lancaster News via The Lancaster Archive) 

Girls in Action at First Baptist - 1957 - Lancaster SC Photos

First Baptist's Girls' Auxiliary poses for a group shot in 1957 following a coronation ceremony. Girls' Auxillary began in 1913, changing its name to Girls in Action in 1970. (Photo by Lavoy Studio via The Lancaster Archive)

Tri-County Queens Before Christmas Parade - 1960 - Lancaster SC Photos

Beauty queens from York, Chester and Lancaster counties pose for a group portrait before the Lancaster Christmas parade in 1960. 

(Photo by Lavoy Studio via The Lancaster Archive) 

Merry Christmas!

While "The Girl Can't Help It", starring Jayne Mansfield, was playing at Parr Theater, Lancaster's Main St. is seen at night during Christmas of 1956.

Photographer Lavoy Bauknight didn't let close, busy traffic stop him from positioning his tripod right in the middle of the street to capture this amazing, black and white photograph. Bauknight used a slow shutter speed on his 4x5 Speed Graphic camera to give the image motion.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas from The Lancaster Archive!

Marshall Building and Shops

Many thanks to the new Marshall Building Shops and Offices for becoming a sponsor on The Lancaster Archive! Rental spaces for your store or office. Call 803.283.1719 for more information.

North Main Street Bridge Construction - 1955 - Lancaster SC Photos

It was empty fields back in the fall of 1955 but now, North Main Street looks a lot different. 

Here, construction around the bridge near North Main and Woodland Drive is seen, looking north. 

As a reference, just up the hill where several cars and a truck are seen on the right is the present day entrance to Lancaster Square. Over to the left looking past the crane is the Arby's location. 

(Photo by Lavoy Studio via The Lancaster Archive) 

Most Popular Image In October

The most popular picture on The Lancaster Archive in the month of October based on views on the website and social media.

A postman begins his walk up Main Street from the U.S. Post Office near the intersection of Main and Arch streets on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 1955.

The Parr Theater, which is advertising the movie "Davy Crockett" can be seen near the center of the photograph.

B.C. Moore and Sons department store can be seen as well. At left is a Navy Recruiting poster. The water tower just over the shoulder of the postman sat beside the former police station, to the right of the Lancaster county courthouse.

(Photo by Lavoy Studio via The Lancaster Archive)