Biographical Note

Daniel Walker Beaman was born in Richville, New York, in 1890.  He graduated from St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York, in 1915, and spent part of that summer at the Young Men’s Christian Association camp in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  It was here that he made a scrapbook/photo album of life in camp, and this album he presented to his fiancee, Beatrice Reynolds.  Miss Reynolds was born in Brandon, New York, 1890.

Daniel and Beatrice Beaman were married in Malone, New York, in 19171, and set up housekeeping in a second-floor apartment at 4022 West Irving Park Road, Chicago.  They lived here until April, 1918.

Scope and Content 

This collection consists of a twenty-nine page photo album (1:1).  A Contents by Page listing follows the Box and Folder Inventory.  The collection also includes pages clipped from the Beaman guest book (1:2) covering the months that they lived in the Irving Park Road apartment at 4022 West Irving Park Road, Chicago.  They lived here until April, 1918.

Those photographs and post cards with a Chicago connection have been individually described for the Neighborhood History Research Collection Photo card file, as follows:

Clubs and  Organizations 
Y. M. C. A.--Camp at Lake Geneva
Y. M. C. A.--Division Street Department
Y. M. C. A.--College, 5315 Drexel Avenue

Parks 
Art Institute of Chicago
Lincoln Park Zoo

Portraits 
Beaman, Daniel Walker (1890-)
Beaman, Beatrice Reynolds (1890-)

Residences
4022 W. Irving Park Rd.

Schools 
University of Chicago--Quadrangle Club

Provenance

The material in this collection was donated to The Chicago Public Library by Mary Ruth Beaman Judd, daughter of Daniel and Beatrice Beaman, November, 1989.

Access 

The Beaman Photograph Album is available to the public for research in the Special Collections and Preservation Division Reading Room on the 9th floor of the Chicago Public Library’s Harold Washington Library Center, 400 South State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60605. The collection does not circulate, although photocopy and photoreproduction services are available depending upon the condition of the original materials. First time patrons to Special Collections must present photo identification and complete a Reader Registration Form. Telephone inquiries on this collection and other Special Collections holdings can be directed to 312-747-4875.

Box and Folder Inventory

BOX 1

1. Photo album--Lake Geneva, Wisconsin; 1915 June 
2. Guest book pages--4022 W. Irving Park Blvd.; 1917-18 

Album Contents by Page

1. Dan Beaman, 1915
Williams Bay [Wisconsin] train station
Postcard:  "Overlooking Lake Geneva, Wisconsin"

2. Lake Geneva aquatics
Lake Como
Postcard:  "Before the winds--Lake Geneva"
Postcard:  "Holiday Home--Lake Geneva"

3. Two photos, unidentified [Lake Geneva]

4. Three photos: View of Lake Geneva
5 men in a sailboat, identified
Same 5 men swimming, 1915

5. Two photos of Dan Beaman at Yerkes Observatory, Lake Geneva
Postcard:  "The Athletic Field, YMCA Camp, Lake Geneva"
Postcard:  "Interior of Yerkes Observatory, Williams Bay"

6. Photograph, unidentified [Lake Geneva]
Postcard:  "Along the Shore, YMCA Camp"
Postcard:  "Lewis Auditorium, YMCA Camp"

7. Two photographs of swimmers on wharf, 1915
Postcard:  "Tenting under the trees at YMCA Camp"
Postcard:  "A favorite view at YMCA Camp"

8. Dan Beaman, standing on beach
Mr. Worley
Postcard:  Lewis Auditorium, YMCA Camp"
Postcard:  Athletic Field, YMCA,  Lake Geneva, Wis."

9. Unidentified photograph, 12 men, posed at Lifeguard perch
Postcard:  "The Dining Hall, YMCA Camp"
Postcard:  "I. E. Brown Hall, YMCA Camp"

10. Five swimmers, posed at Lifeguard perch; Dan Beaman identified
Postcard:  "The Terrace, Weidensall Hall, YMCA Camp"
Postcard:  "Dining Room Annex, YMCA Camp"

11. Two photographs of seaplane landing and landed on Lake Geneva

12. Photograph of campers’ tent, with four campers in beds
Postcard:  "Tents and Cottages, YMCA Camp"

13. Three unidentified photographs, Lake Geneva, Steamboat "Majestic"

14. Two unidentified photographs, Lake Geneva

15. Two unidentified photographs, [Beaman’s tent?], Lake Geneva

16. Postcard:  "The Young Men’s Christian Association of Chicago--
Division Street Department, 1621 West Division Street"
Postcard:  "YMCA College, 5315 Drexel Avenue, Chicago, June 19, 1915"
[Shows building in process of construction]

17. Two unidentified photographs, [Dan Beaman’s bedroom in Chicago?]

18. Postcard:  Art Institute of Chicago
Two unidentified postcards

19. Seven unidentified photographs [Lincoln Park Zoo?]

20. Three unidentified photographs, ski resort

21. Three unidentified photographs, ski resort

22. Four photographs:
[Daniel Beaman and Bea Reynolds?]
[Daniel Beaman and one other swimmer]
[Daniel Beaman and two other swimmers]
[Daniel Beaman and friend]

23. Two photographs, July 4th, Tremont, Indiana
Two unidentified photographs

24. Two unidentified photographs, one showing beachside campers having a mean

25. Blank

26. Postcard:  "Quadrangle Club, University of Chicago"
Postcard:  "Just a Spin at Twilight on Lake Geneva"

27. Photograph of living room/bedroom, 4022 Irving Park Blvd., 1917-18

28. Page covered with "North-West Side Booster Week" stamps

29. Page covered with "North-West Side Booster Week" stamps