WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)
ODEGARD'S PHOTO SHOP MEMORIES
St. George, Utah
RANDOM MEMORIES
I'm doing a little research on family history and I wanted to see if you might be able to help me with any information. I believe the dixie photography used to be where Odegard photography was, but I can't find as much information as dixie photography. Amy Pollock Odegard and Maxwell Elliot Odegard owned it ( my great- grandaunt and uncle). Is there any information on their camera/ photography business? also, is dixie photography still in business if not who owns the building? I may have other family history questions but I'm really curious about Odegard photography. Any help would be greatly appreciated.Jessica Carrasco, 10/12/2024
I remember Odegard Photo very well. There used to be a small store containing two businesses located just west of the old courthouse between the courthouse and Pickett Lumber. Odegard Photo was in one part and McMullin Clothing was in the other half of the building. I was around 14 or 15 years old in 1950-1951 and wanted a camera. I went to Odegards Photo store and looked at a Kodak Brownie Hawkeye complete with a flash. Mrs Odegard told me the price. I the went to Dixie Photo down on Tabernacle Street which was operated by a Mr. Rollins. He had the same Kodak camera but was a few dollars cheaper so I bought it from him. But then, being a teenager, I made a bad mistake. I went back to Odegard Photo and showed Mrs Odegard my new camera and told her that I got it cheaper from Dixie Photo. She was quite angry with me and also Mr. Rollins for selling it cheaper. In those days all cameras used rolls of film and I always took my film to Odegard Photo for processing.
Jim Kemple, 10/12/2024
I do have photos of them young and I have a photo of Amy older at the shop counter. ( I don't believe they had children of their own) A lot of my other relatives their photos had old fashion paper frames/ holders with Odegard photography written on them. A few years ago when I was trying to look up the photo shop I swear I read something that the neon camera sign above the dixie photography sign was originally part of Odegards Photography, but I have not found that written again online anywhere. Both my husband and I where did photography for the united states marines he was a photographer and I was a videographer. I've been interested in where their shop was/ if it existed. I can share the photos of them when I find the album it's still in a box from moving somewhere.
Jessica Carrasco, 10/12/2024
The Odegards were my great aunt & uncle. (Amy was a sister of my grandmother, Hazel Pollock Sevy.) While taking care of my father in Santa Clara (2016-2019), I spent some time figuring out where their shop was located. What I learned was that their studio was on St. George Boulevard in a stand alone building on the north side of the street. The building was demolished at some point and the location is now the parking lot of the Steamroller Print Shop.
LeeAnne S. Bunn, 10/12/2024
I remember Maxwell Elliot and Amy Oldegard. They took my wedding pictures in 1956. They did a great job! The pictures are still in perfect condition today. I treasure them. Their photo studio was located on the north side of what is today St. George Blvd. back then it was highway 91 and considered 100 North. It was almost directly across the street from Liberty Hotel and Cafe. On the corner of St. George Blvd. and 100 East Street is the historic Court House. To the west of the Court House grounds was McMullin Men’s Wear. Then Odegard’s Photo Studio then Pickett Lumber Company. My records show that Maxwell Elliot was born in 1909 and died in 1958. Amy was born in 1910 and died in 2001. They are buried side by side in the St. George Cemetery plots (C274-2 and C274-3). Dixie Photo was located on Tabernacle Street and was in business during the same time Odegard’s were. To my knowledge, and those I contacted to verify the above information, the two photo studio’s never shared the same building.
LaRee Jones, 10/13/2024
This picture shows the front of the Odegard Photo Shop. Left side, the building with the awning. The awning is on the front of the McMullin clothing store. There was an alley between Odegards and the Pickett Lumber building. Sent with care from Jim's iPad -> wchs-05535.jpg
Jim Kemple, 10/25/2024