Harry Ellsworth Cole (1861-1928) was a "nature lover and history lover." That's how historian Louise Phelps Kellogg remembered her colleague in her forward to Cole's book, "Stagecoach and Tavern Tales of the Old Northwest." The collection of Cole photographs at the Wisconsin Historical Society reflect those two loves. Although a native of Indiana and a journalist by trade (Cole was co-founder and editor of the Baraboo Daily News), he worked tirelessly to document and preserve Sauk County's and Wisconsin's natural beauty and history. Cole photographed scenic views of the Dells and Devil's Lake area as well as geological features throughout Sauk County. By including people in a number of the views, he provided a frame of reference for both physical scale and historical context.

Preserving History with Photographs and Stories

In 1905 Cole helped found the Sauk County Historical Society and served as its president until his death in 1928. Cole recognized the irreversible changes that modernization brought. By the early 20th century, many of the dwellings, taverns and inns from Wisconsin's territorial and early statehood days stood abandoned and derelict. Others had been altered as styles changed or function dictated. Cole photographed many of those buildings, and the images constitute a large portion of the collection.

In addition to taking photographs, he collected stories of the historic inns from surviving early settlers and their descendants. He organized these as a magic lantern show and lecture which formed the basis for his book, "Stagecoach and Tavern Tales of the Old Northwest." The book, unfortunately, was incomplete when he died. At the request of Cole's wife, Dorothy, Louise P. Kellogg prepared the manuscript for its publication in 1930.