Colonel Raymond Robins

Colonel Raymond Robins

This press photograph titled “Outstanding news and picture stories of 1932” tells the tale of Colonel Raymond Robins who went missing on his way to a White House conference with Herbert Hoover. Leading the prohibitionist movement, it was believed he was kidnapped or murdered, but he was discovered two and a half months later by 13-year-old Carl Byrd Fisher in Whittier, North Carolina. He was living at McHans Boarding House under the name Raymond Rogers, prospecting for gold. Doctors claim he suffered from amnesia, but there is speculation that he was intentionally escaping from the stresses of life. This item is from the Hart Masa Collection, a collection of photographs, publications, postcards, correspondence, and ephemera related to the life and work of photographer George Masa. Known for his iconic images of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and his advocacy for the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Masa also produced commercial work for private businesses, publishers, news services, and other entities. The Hart Masa Collection was assembled by donors William A. Hart, Jr., and Alice Huff Hart, who provided much of the contextual information for the items in this collection.

1932

George Masa Collection