Angelo State West Texas Collection Unveils ‘Views of the Concho Country’ Exhibit

SAN ANGELO, TX - Angelo State University's Dr. Ralph R. Chase West Texas Collection (WTC) will host a special reception to mark the opening of its new exhibit, "Views of the Concho Country: A Pictorial Journey with M.C. Ragsdale," on Thursday, Sept. 26, in the ASU Mayer Museum at 2501 W. Ave. N.

The reception will run from 4 to 6:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. The exhibit will then be open weekly from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday in the ASU Mayer Museum.

From the 1870s through the late 1910s, M.C. Ragsdale captured life in and around San Angelo through the lens of his camera. The new WTC exhibit invites viewers to immerse themselves in the images of that "bygone era of West Texas history."

A native of South Carolina, Ragsdale moved to Bell County, Texas, after the Civil War. He began his career as an itinerant photographer in the 1870s and later became one of the primary recorders of the growth and development of the Concho Valley and surrounding areas, according to ASU. 

After first working out of a tent studio on the grounds of Fort Concho, he later set up a permanent studio on the corner of Chadbourne Street and Concho Avenue.

While much of Ragsdale's work consisted of portrait photography, he also captured the development, architecture and rugged landscapes of what he termed "the Concho Country." Upon retiring around 1918, he sold his business, and many of his negatives were destroyed. The prints that remain are invaluable in visually conveying the history of this region.

Images used in the "Views of the Concho Country" exhibit are taken primarily from the Tom Green County Historical Society Collection, Mims Family Collection and DeMoville Family Collection.