GEO. F. BLACKBURN.
For twenty-two years the name of “Blackburn” has meant excellence in photography in North Dakota.
While others have come and gone Blackburn alone has remained, and is today the pioneer photographer of the entire state.
George F. Blackburn, who was born at Smith’s Falls, Ont., came to Grand Forks on March 22, 1882, and formed a partnership with William Caswell in a room over a saloon which occupied a location on Third street where now stands the Benner, Begg & Garvin department store. The same year the place was burned. The partnership was dissolved and in 1883 Mr. Blackburn started in business for himself on the site on DeMers avenue which he still occupies. The little building now occupied by Thomas Griffiths, which was used for a number of years by Mr. Blackburn, was displaced by the present two-story brick structure in 1887, and since that time it has been the home of the Blackburn pictures.
Mr. Blackburn has kept abreast of the times in modern photography, until now his business is only measured by the amount of work that can be turned out. Nothing is slighted in the making of Blackburn pictures and when it is found that the capacity of the gallery has been reached, Mr. Blackburn declines new orders, and while this may be a distinct loss at the time, the uniform excellence of his work is never varied and those looking for the finest grades of photographs usually find it convenient to turn to Mr. Blackburn.
Source:
The Grand Forks Herald – Silver Anniversary Edition
June 26, 1879 – June 26, 1904
Page 108