Photo Album Documenting the 1936 Rookie Lewis Walkathon in Tacoma, Washington

An absolute gem of a Depression-era photograph album which centers around the popular Rookie Lewis dance marathons, or "Walkathons," specifically the 1936 contest at the Century Ballroom in Fife near Tacoma, Washington. More than 50 photographs document the Tacoma event and another in Oceanside, CA, including signed and captioned portraits of contestants with their numbers and sponsors, couples on the floor, group portraits, the ballroom and promotional automobiles, entertainers and officials, staged attractions including the wedding of contestants Chris Bennett and Barbara La Rue, exterior venue views, and outdoor events. Beginning June 25, the Century Ballroom contest continued for 1,600 hours (more than 66 days) and attracted spectators from Tacoma and Seattle, both of which had outlawed endurance dancing contests. The album was apparently assembled by George E. Smith, whose name appears in applied wooden letters on the front cover. A revealing inscription from master of ceremonies Harry Franklin praises Smith as "one of the finest fellows I've ever met" and calls him "the letter-inner and the keeper-outer." Likely Smith worked the entrance as the event's doorman, and may have had a connection with one couple, Bill and Elsie, who are featured in several photos at the front of the album. The remaining photographs document family life and travel through Washington, Alaska, Montana, California, and elsewhere, with automobiles, men in military uniform, children and family, wildlife, swimming, boating, and outdoor recreation. Walkathon phots in general are uncommon. A remarkable photographic record of one of the strangest and most exploitative popular entertainments of the Depression. Photo album, 11.5 x 15.5", approximately [35] leaves with mounted photos ranging from 2x2 to 10 x 8", roughly 300 or more in total. Many of the photos are captioned or inscribed to Smith. Screw post binding in custom wooden covers with painted vignettes and lettering attached to front. Few scuffs, bumps, and a missing letter to front cover. Photos generally nice with some edge wear, few creases, few with some smudging, and here or there detached. A very attractive album with great content.…