MS 661
Harker, Michael P. (1950-  )
Photographs, 1993-2001, n.d.

Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140

Descriptive summary

creator:

Harker, Michael P. (1950-  )

title:

Photographs

dates:

1993-2001, n.d.

extent:

1.67 linear ft.  (1 oversize box)

collection number:

 MS 661 

repository:

Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

 

Administrative information

access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

Michael P. Harker Photographs, MS 661, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Historical note

Michael  P. Harker was born April 3, 1950, in Moline, Illinois.  His photographic career began in 1971 while stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army.  There he learned darkroom techniques from Hans Jurgen-Heider, a German professional photographer.  Several of Harker's early photographs were published in U.S. Army newspapers.

Harker received an A.S. (1973) in arts and biology from Black Hawk College in Moline, Illinois.  His B.S. (1976) in professional photography was earned at Southern Illinois University.  He also studied administrative management at Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1989.

In 1976, he began his professional photography career doing custom photo lab work.  He has worked as a freelance commercial photographer and as an in-house photographer for companies in Illinois and Iowa, including Deere and Company (Moline, Illinois) and Rockwell Collins Avionics and Communications Division (now Rockwell Collins, Inc., in Cedar Rapids, Iowa).  In 1997, he began his current job as an ophthalmic photographer at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

Harker has been a fine arts photographer since 1973.  In 1993 he began a series of photographs of barns in Iowa.  In the course of researching this subject he discovered that close to a thousand Iowa barns were being destroyed each year due to various causes, and he decided to embark on a serious documentary of the barns.  In addition to photographing as many barns as possible, he has given lectures and has mounted exhibits of his photographs.  One exhibit was purchased by Humanities Iowa to serve as a permanent traveling exhibit; this exhibit was also shown in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution's exhibit "Barn Again!" at locations in Iowa.  In 2003, University of Iowa Press published Harker's Barns: Visions of an American Icon, highlighting a selection of his art photographs and including text by poet Jim Heynen.

Harker married Theresa A. Schafer-Harker in 1986.  They have one daughter.  Michael Harker lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

 

Collection description


The collection contains master prints of the seventy-six photographs used in the book Harker's Barns: Visions of an American Icon (Special Collections TR659 H373 2003).  These photographs were taken in various locations in Iowa between 1993 and 2001.  The black and white master prints are silver gelatin photographic prints, each measuring 11"x14".  Supplementary items include Harker's resume, a sequential listing of photographs from the book, and a color photograph (8.5"x12") of Harker.

 

Organization

The photographs are arranged in the sequence used in the book.  The supplementary material is filed before the photographs.

   

Container list  

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

Michael P. Harker resume

n.d.

1

2

Photograph: Michael P. Harker

n.d.

1

3

Sequential listing of photographs used in book

n.d.

1

4

White Barns and Hay Bales - Bennett, Iowa

1999

1

5

Wickfield Sales Pavilion - Cantril, Iowa

2001

1

6

Cows and Barn - Bertram, Iowa

1999

1

7

Before the Demolition - Newhall, Iowa

2000

1

8

Limestone Barn - Charles City, Iowa

2000

1

9

Barn and Windmill no. 2 - Chelsea, Iowa

2000

1

10

Barn and Windmill - Mechanicsville, Iowa

1998

1

11

Corn Crib and Fence - Newhall, Iowa

2000

1

12

Detail of Corn Crib - Canaan Township, Iowa

2001

1

13

Windmills - Clutier, Iowa

1993

1

14

Silos - Martelle, Iowa

1999

1

15

Cows and Barn no. 2 - West Branch, Iowa

2000

1

16

Corn Crib and Wagon - Wapello, Iowa

2001

1

17

The West Façade - East Amana, Iowa

1997

1

18

Interior Y-beams - Mt. Vernon, Iowa

2001

1

19

Goddess of Barns - Millville, Iowa

1999

1

20

Grain Elevator - Amana, Iowa

1995

1

21

Barn Façade with Berm and Silo - Dubuque, Iowa

1999

1

22

Octagon with Cupola - Downey, Iowa

2000

1

23

Round Barn with Silo - Dysart, Iowa

2000

1

24

Hand-Pump on Farm - Clutier, Iowa

1994

1

25

Corn Crib - Riverside, Iowa

1998

1

26

Silos and Tractor - Clutier, Iowa

2000

1

27

Horse Barn - Bennett, Iowa

1999

1

28

Horse Barn no. 1 - Ely, Iowa

1999

1

29

Cow Barn no. 2 - High Amana, Iowa

2000

1

30

Elevators - Downey, Iowa

2000

1

31

Kevin Doyle's Corn Crib - Monticello, Iowa

2000

1

32

Barn and Shrubs - Nichols, Iowa

1998

1

33

Baby Barns - Chickasaw County, Iowa

2000

1

34

Barn with Silo and Outbuilding - Marion, Iowa

2001

1

35

Waves of Grain - Mt. Vernon, Iowa

1999

1

36

Barn and Fence - West Amana, Iowa

1998

1

37

Juxtaposition with Silo - Solon, Iowa

2000

1

38

Lone Tree Elevator - Lone Tree, Iowa

1998

1

39

Façade with White Window - Mechanicsvile, Iowa

1998

1

40

Fuller's Barn - Solon, Iowa

2000

1

41

Barn and Bush - Jones County, Iowa

1999

1

42

Barn and Vents - East Amana, Iowa

1998

1

43

Roof and Cupola - Linn County, Iowa

2001

1

44

1870 Era Barn - Dubuque, Iowa

1999

1

45

Canfield's Round Barn - Dunkerton, Iowa

2000

1

46

Long Barn - North Liberty, Iowa

2001

1

47

Barn and Trees - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

2000

1

48

Barn with Firewood - Dubuque, Iowa

1999

1

49

Cow Barn Interior - Mt. Vernon, Iowa

2001

1

50

Barn and Vines - West Amana, Iowa

1997

1

51

Façade 1884 - Wellman, Iowa

1998

1

52

South Façade no. 3 - Monticello, Iowa

2000

1

53

Barn with Small Windows - Eldridge, Iowa

1999

1

54

Ely Grain Elevator - Ely, Iowa

2001

1

55

Corn Crib and Silos - Mt. Vernon, Iowa

2001

1

56

Double Barn - Jesup, Iowa

2001

1

57

Classic Barn no. 2 - Chelsea, Iowa

2000

1

58

Barn with Feeding Horse - Tipton, Iowa

2000

1

59

Corn Crib in Open Field - Benton County, Iowa

2000

1

60

Barn with Cupola and Ladders - Dubuque, Iowa

1999

1

61

Classic Barn - Linn County, Iowa

1999

1

62

Crossed Doors and Fence - Wapello, Iowa

2001

1

63

Horse Barn with Cupolas - Marengo, Iowa

2000

1

64

Jim Hundley's Round Barn - Waverly, Iowa

2000

1

65

Barn and Silo - Grundy Center, Iowa

2001

1

66

Barn Detail no. 1 - Linn County, Iowa

2001

1

67

Corn Crib - West Amana, Iowa

1995

1

68

Barn and Shed - Mt. Vernon, Iowa

1999

1

69

Hay Barn on Stilts - Morning Sun, Iowa

2001

1

70

Barn with Crossed Doors - Solon, Iowa

2000

1

71

Limestone Barn no. 2 - Cedar Falls, Iowa

2001

1

72

Support Beams - Washington, Iowa

2000

1

73

Barn with Cross of Lights - Walker, Iowa

2000

1

74

Field and Barn - Tipton, Iowa

1999

1

75

Tractors - West Amana, Iowa

1995

1

76

Barn in Cornfield - La Porte City, Iowa

2000

1

77

Barn Ark - Jones County, Iowa

1999

1

78

Interior - Linn County, Iowa

2001

1

79

White Barn no. 1 in Snow - Dubuque, Iowa

1999

 


Iowa State University Library, Ames, IA 50011
Comments: tzanish@iastate.edu
URL: http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/manuscripts/MS661.html
Revised: 07 July 2008.