MTGMss360 Guide to the Charles R. Dragstedt Photographs circa 1895-1915 Dragstedt (Charles R.) Photographs Finding aid prepared by Kristin Gates Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana--Missoula 2022
Missoula, MT 59812 406-243-2053 http://www.lib.umt.edu/asc library.archives@umontana.edu
Finding aid encoded by Kristin Gates 2022 Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS ( Describing Archives: A Content Standard) 2nd Edition. University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
The University of Montana—Missoula Missoula, MT 59812 406-243-2053 http://www.lib.umt.edu/asc library.archives@umontana.edu
Mss 360 Charles R. Dragstedt, 1873-1950 Charles R. Dragstedt Photographs circa 1895-1915 14 photographs The Charles R. Dragstedt Photographs consist of 14 images of the Dragstedt family and their grocery stores in Anaconda and Butte, Montana from the late 1890s to 1915. The collection also contains photographs of other storefronts in Butte, the Northern Pacific Railroad depot in Gardiner, Montana, and extended family in Sweden. visual Biographical Note

Charles Robert Dragstedt was born in 1873 in Halland County, Sweden. He immigrated to the United States with his parents and two siblings in 1882. The family first settled in Des Moines, Iowa, where they lived for 10 years before moving to Anaconda, Montana in 1892. After working for a few years as a blacksmith at the Anaconda smelter, Dragstedt founded a grocery store with his business partner, S.L. Tripp in 1895. They named the store Tripp and Dragstedt Company, and the business later moved to Butte, Montana. During World War I, Dragstedt briefly relocated to Long Beach, California, before returning to Montana and establishing a clothing store, C.R. Dragstedt Company, at 531 North Higgins Avenue in Missoula. Dragstedt died on March 28, 1950, but his sons Carl and Elmer Dragstedt, continued to operate his store until 1978.

The Charles R. Dragstedt Photographs consist of 14 images of the Dragstedt family and their grocery stores in Anaconda and Butte, Montana from the late 1890s to 1915. The collection also contains photographs of other storefronts in Butte, the Northern Pacific Railroad depot in Gardiner, Montana, and extended family in Sweden, and one image from Pascal Studio in Missoula. The format of the photographs is 4" x 5" negative.

This collection is arranged by photo number.

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana-Missoula.

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to the University of Montana.

Charles R. Dragstedt Photographs, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.

The collection was held by Elmer Dragstedt, son of Charles Dragstedt, before he donated it to the University of Montana in 1980.

Gift of Elmer Dragstedt, 1980.

Upon donation, Elmer Dragstedt provided captions for the images, which were added to the Archive's general photograph collection in the 1990s. In 2022, the collection was processed as Charles R. Dragstedt Photographs (Mss 360).

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Dragstedt, Charles R., 1873-1950--Archives Dragstedt family--Photographs Anaconda (Mont.)--Photographs Butte (Mont.)--Photographs Business enterprises--Montana--Anaconda--Photographs Business enterprises--Montana--Butte--Photographs Grocery trade--Montana--Photographs Railroad stations--Montana--Gardiner--Photographs Montana Photograph collections 95-0501 Northern Pacific depot in Gardiner, Montanacirca 1915 95-0502 Japanese window, tea and coffee display in Butte, MontanaApril 19, 1907 95-0503 Window display in Butte, MontanaApril 19, 1907 95-0504 The original Tripp and Dragstedt store in Anaconda, Montana; moved to Butte, Montana in 1899circa 1895-1899 95-0505 Tripp and Dragstedt store in Anaconda, Montanacirca 1895-1899 95-0506 Start of Tripp and Dragstedt warehouse in Butte, Montanapost-1899 95-0507 Tripp and Dragstedt store in Butte, Montanapost-1899 95-0508 "Our first car at home in Butte, Montana, a 1913 Cadillac."

"Tripps lived upstairs, we were downstairs."

circa 1913 95-0509 Charles Robert Dragstedt and his brother John Albert Dragstedt with their familiescirca 1900-1915 95-0510 Charles Robert Dragstedt on horse in Butte, Montana

Slag dump in background

circa 1900-1915 95-0511 Tripp and Dragstedt store, second location, in Butte, Montana 1910 95-0512 “Believe this is Momma D’s folks in Sweden” undated 95-0513 “Believe this is Momma D’s folks in Sweden” undated 95-0514 Unidentified group in Missoula, Montana; Photographer: Paschal Studioundated