Square Dance History Project
The rich story of North American square dance finally has a home in the digital age.

Browse Items (160 total)

  • Collection: Traditional western
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Texas Callers - 1948

This cover fromFoot 'n' Fiddle magazine puts the spotlight on six prominent Texas callers: Jack Fomby, Jimmy Clossin, Ray Smith, Grady Wilson, Red Smith and Bob Sumrall. Texas dancers and callers… View item
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Jimmy Clossin - bio

Biography of Jimmy Clossin, from 1947. Although SDHP has numerous items related to Clossin, we would love to add an audio file of his calling. To the best of our knowledge, he never recorded… View item
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Jack Fomby - bio

Bio of Jack Fomby, Sweetwater, Texas View item
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Lighted Lantern photographs

The Lighted Lantern,also known as the Rocky Mountain Square Dance Camp, was operated by Paul and Pauline Kermiet from 1948to 1967.Photo 1Pauline KermietEd Bossing (important chronicler of dances and… View item
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Paul and Pauline Kermiet

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Texas Starlings - teenage dancers, 1947

This photo shows the Texas Starlings, a teenage group of square dancers, in Austin, Texas, 1947. The accompany article fromFoot 'n' Fiddlemagazine describes a session by Herb Greggerson for teens in… View item
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Lillie Lee Baker

Lillie Lee Baker (Mrs. Paul Baker) was a Texas dance caller, supporter of children's performing square dance groups, and an organizer for Texas square dances. In 1947, she directed square dance… View item
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Henry Hudson - Texas fiddler

This photo shows Texas fiddler Henry Hudson standing with dance leader and organizer Lillie Lee Baker. (The boy at left is holding the 78 rpm album of Texas Square Dance Music that was recorded in… View item
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Square Dance Week - Austin, 1949

The photo shows Marlys Swenson giving a square dance lesson to Austin's "Mayor Tom," who has proclaimed the week of March 20-26, 1949, as "Square-Dance Week." The Additional File is the accompanying… View item
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Pioneer Promenaders - Denver University

These newspaper clippings and photographs document the Denver University Pioneer Promenaders Square Dance Club as they travel to Washington, DC, for the 1940 National Folk Festival and a separate trip… View item
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Lloyd Shaw's summer class - photos

This collection of photos comes from the family of George and Betty Greene, dancers and organizers from the St. Louis area, and were contibuted to SDHP by Ellen Hocker, their daughter. 1. Lloyd… View item
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1953 Texas Inaugural Ball square dance program

The custom of having a square dance as part of the Inaugural Ball for the Texas Governor started in 1947; this is the program for the 1953 Inaugural, scheduled for 6:30 PM until midnight. The second… View item