First City Photo and Frames

First City Photo and Frames First City Photo and Frames where beautiful framing is affordable.

In the process of researching the original photograph, I realized I could not say with certainty that these men worked a...
09/03/2026

In the process of researching the original photograph, I realized I could not say with certainty that these men worked at the Grund Brewery. There is, however, enough evidence to make it a strong possibility. As is often the case with local history, one clue leads to another, and sometimes you have to keep digging.

Fortunately, Johnny Johnston wrote an article about Leavenworth’s breweries in 1976, which gives us another place to look for answers. And yes, I had a little help from AI along the way — mostly to help organize the information and point me toward additional sources.

08/29/2026

This is your last weekend of summer. Make it a memorable one.

Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of summer—and a great excuse to get the family together, call up some friends, and do something a little different.

Spend a couple of hours behind the walls of Kansas State Penitentiary, sharing stories, exploring a place most people have only ever seen from the outside, and making memories you’ll still be talking about when summer is over.

Tours are running Friday, Saturday & Sunday—and we have LOTS of openings.

So before summer slips away… bring your people and come take a tour.

Book your Labor Day weekend tour today.
KansasStatePenitentiaryTours.com

Leavenworth in 1868 boasted of five breweries making what is known as 'l***r' b**r. There were no mechanical methods the...
08/18/2026

Leavenworth in 1868 boasted of five breweries making what is known as 'l***r' b**r. There were no mechanical methods then for cooling b**r so caves were resorted to, and every brewery had one or more. This was the entrance to the cave of the Charles Kunz Leavenworth brewery, whose location old city directories give as Oak between Fourth and Fifth. Information was taken from the May 1948 Pioneer Days souvenir program that once belonged to Mary Everhard. Image was restored by AI.

Image taken from an 8x10 nitrate black-and-white negative and restored, colorized using AI. What is going on here? Your ...
08/12/2026

Image taken from an 8x10 nitrate black-and-white negative and restored, colorized using AI.
What is going on here? Your guess is as good as mine.

For more than 14 years, this has been one of my favorite photographs. I still remember the day I held the glass negative...
07/30/2026

For more than 14 years, this has been one of my favorite photographs. I still remember the day I held the glass negative up to the light for the first time, wondering what image had been hidden there for more than a century. When these young graduates of St. Mary's Academy appeared, I was captivated.

I've printed it countless times in black and white, and even tried my hand at tinting it years ago, but it never captured what I saw in my mind. Today, thanks to modern restoration and colorization, this remarkable portrait has finally come to life the way I always imagined it.

Sometimes a photograph just has to wait for the right moment—and for the right technology. After more than 14 years, I can finally say: this is the image I've been waiting to see.

Sometimes the most beautiful things are the ones we almost miss.
07/20/2026

Sometimes the most beautiful things are the ones we almost miss.

The sunset was incredible tonight!
07/20/2026

The sunset was incredible tonight!

Some photographs preserve more than a moment—they preserve a tradition.I took this photograph in the early 1990s near th...
07/10/2026

Some photographs preserve more than a moment—they preserve a tradition.
I took this photograph in the early 1990s near the back gate of Fort Leavenworth. The riders were not dressed in their traditional red hunting jackets known as “pink coats,” on this October day because it was warmer than usual for a Kansas Fall.
The tradition of the Fort Leavenworth Hunt began in 1926 and continued until 1943, when World War II brought it to a halt, before being reorganized in 1962 and carrying on once again.
What has always made this image special to me is what lies beyond the riders. Depth of field played an important role in this photograph, keeping everything in sharp focus. Film was, and still is, a wonderful thing.
Rising above the trees is the unmistakable dome of the United States Penitentiary—a silent reminder that two of Leavenworth’s most historic institutions have shared the same skyline for generations.
Scenes like this are becoming part of history themselves. I’m grateful I was there to capture one before it became just another memory.

For more than 100 years, this old house has stood as a silent witness to another era. Time is taking its toll, and its d...
07/09/2026

For more than 100 years, this old house has stood as a silent witness to another era. Time is taking its toll, and its days are numbered. Forgotten by many, perhaps… but never by me.

07/03/2026

There was something truly special about watching this video. Seeing John Wayne begin by singing God Bless America, followed by so many of the great stars and entertainers of that era, brought back wonderful memories. Their love of country, their talent, and the pride they shared were inspiring.

Sometimes it’s refreshing to pause, remember where we’ve been, and appreciate the people and values that helped shape our nation.

Address

406 Shawnee Street
Leavenworth, KS
66048

Telephone

+19136510099

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