Bayard Wootten facts for kids
Mary Bayard Morgan Wootten (1875–1959) was an amazing American photographer. She was super creative! She even helped name Pepsi Cola and designed its first logo. She did this for her neighbor, Caleb Bradham, who invented the popular drink.
Her Life Story
Mary Bayard Morgan Wootten was born in New Bern, North Carolina in 1875. She went to public schools in New Bern. Later, she studied art at the State Normal and Industrial College. This school is now called the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. After college, she taught art for a short time. She taught at schools for deaf students in Arkansas and Georgia.
When her husband left, she moved back to New Bern. She needed to support her two sons. She painted flowers on china and fancy dresses. She even preserved animals, like an alligator! She learned photography basics from Edward Gerrock and Ignatius Wadsworth Brock. In 1903, she opened her own photo studio. It was in a small building next to her home in New Bern. She borrowed cameras and gear to get started.
In 1913, Bayard Wootten opened a second studio. It was at Fort Bragg and called The Photo Hut. She took special pictures for the North Carolina National Guard. This made her the first woman in the North Carolina National Guard! In 1920, she moved to Chapel Hill. There, she became known for taking portraits. She took photos for the Yackety Yack, which is the yearbook for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also took official photos for the Carolina Playmakers. She lived in Chapel Hill from 1928 to 1954. Her theater work helped her meet the writer Thomas Wolfe. She photographed him many times.
Bayard Wootten was very adventurous! Once, she told her employee Rudy Faircloth to lower her over a cliff. She wanted to get a perfect picture of Linville Falls. This is a famous natural spot in North Carolina.
Anthony Lilly is also from New Bern. He is writing a book and a movie script about Wootten's life. He is an expert on her work. He has the largest collection of her personal items. This includes letters, thousands of her original photos, and her old cameras.
Her photographs were used in six books. These included Backwoods America and Old Homes and Gardens of North Carolina. Bayard Wootten is buried in the Cedar Grove cemetery in New Bern.
Her Amazing Work
Bayard Wootten was a true pioneer. In 1914, she was the first woman to take a photograph from an airplane. This happened in New Bern, North Carolina. She was also the first woman in the National Guard. She even reached the rank of Adjutant General and Chief of Publicity. Her uncle was a Congressman named Hap Barden. Wootten used her uncle's influence to help Camp Bragg. She took pictures of soldiers living in very poor conditions. Her photos helped save the camp from closing. Today, we know it as Fort Bragg.
Wootten's photos were featured in many books during her life. These included Charleston: Azaleas and Old Bricks. Her pictures also filled yearbooks and newspapers at UNC at Chapel Hill. Her large, artistic photos hang in government buildings and courthouses in North Carolina. Anthony Lilly, who is from New Bern, is working on a movie script about her life. He also has the biggest collection of her photos and equipment. He plans to fill the Wootten-Moulton Museum in New Bern with these treasures.
Mr. Lilly's collection includes many family letters and business papers. These show her working relationship with Caleb Bradham. During his research, he even found Wootten's original drawings for the famous Pepsi drink!
Besides being a great photographer, Wootten also helped women. She used her fame to support women's groups. One group was the Women's Missionary League. In 1915, she became the president of their publicity team. She created all their official portraits.
In 1913, her portraits became very popular at Camp Bragg. She delivered portraits to Gregg Cherry, who was a soldier there. This led to many more orders for her photos. Wootten was allowed to open a photo studio on the base. It was called The Photo Hut. She later became the first woman to get a special commission in the National Guard. Her early client, Lieutenant Cherry, later became North Carolina's 61st Governor. Cherry Point air station and Cherry Hospital were named after him.
The Wootten-Moulton Studio even won an award! They received The Showmanship Award from The Walt Disney Company. This was for their excellent work in professional photography.
Awards and Shows
In 1934, Bayard Wootten won the North Carolina State Award. This was for her photo Live Oaks. It was named "Most Beautiful Photographs of Trees in America." This award came from the American Forestry Association.
Her work has been shown in many places. These include Harvard University and the Century of Progress Exposition. Her photos were also shown at the Academy of Arts in Richmond, Virginia. Many places in North Carolina have also displayed her work.
- 1923, May 3–31: International salon of the Pictorial Photographers of America. Held at the Art Center in New York City, NY.
- 1994: "I won't make a picture unless the moon is right--" : early architectural photography of North Carolina by Frances Benjamin Johnston and Bayard Wootten. North Carolina State University, Visual Arts Center.
