Piece of History: Those behind the camera

Gazette photographers usually are behind the camera as they focus on people and newsworthy events, and they didn't typically see their own faces in the paper.

But in August 1951, members of The Cedar Rapids Gazette's photo staff posed for a picture with their cameras, in preparation for photographing the All-Iowa Fair at Hawkeye Downs.

In the front row (from left) are Bill Layton; Bob Kenyon, the picture editor; Tom Merryman; and Carl Franks, night and sports photographer whose midget auto spill picture, "Airbourne," won top national honors in 1950.

In the back row (from left) are John Reynolds, general features and Sunday editor; Rex Conn, Gazette farm editor and KCRG farm director; Del Blumenshine, photographer and darkroom superintendent; and Jean Strong, writer-photographer.

The unanswered question is, of course, who took their photo.

Tara Templeman is curator at The History Center. Comments: curator@historycenter.org