July 4th, 1918 in Wilton, North Dakota

My uncle Helmer Erick Olaf Erickson had a photography studio in Wilton, North Dakota called 'The Erickson Studio.' Opened in 1910, he kept it going for years. Helmer's main work was portrait photography and many of those can be seen here on the Family Archive Project.

Helmer often went out into the field and took many exquisite photographs of life on the Dakota Plains. Here on July 4th, 1918 in Wilton, he captured this beautiful image taken at the dedication of the World War I Soldier's Service Flag.

The distinctive flag floats huge over the trains with men sitting atop, lined up watching the festivities. It's an unique panoramic image of a one of a kind celebration. Everyone for miles showed up. Many attending had sons, brothers and fathers already in the service. America's involvement in the war had begun the previous Summer of 1917, the war at that time in it's 3rd year.

On this Independence Day, the Armistice was only four months away. But in that time, Helmer's two brother's, Frank and Ernest Julius Erickson, would face the worst of the American Expeditionary Force's involment in the war. The Meuse Argonne Offensive, what in effect would end the war, began in late September of 1918. In the early period of the Offensive, Frank and Ernest Julius's lives would be forever altered.

The details of the photograph are remarkable. Our view of the crowd milling about creates an almost animated feeling. Life on the Dakota Plains needed these moments. With the assembled horse and buggies being outnumbered by the obvious popularity of the automobile, a true sense of the 20th Century is at hand.

Caught from Helmer's vantage point up on the crest of the street, he was able to capture many family members in the throng. Among the many are, Helmer's parents Anders Alfred & Christine Brita (Olson) Erickson, his sisters Abbie (Lincoln) and Vera (Gallager) Erickson and his kid brother Alphons 'Al' Erickson enjoying the day.