Moulton A. Kleckner's photographs of Bethlehem during the 1870s gives us a glimpse of recreation in Bethlehem during in those years. His photographs reveal a peaceful community whose residents enjoyed fishing, boating, and men smoking pipes while appreciating beautiful vistas. Groups of tourists are shown reading the gravestones in the Moravian God's Acre cemetery. The women in the photos wore hats and dresses with long skirts puffed out by layers of petticoats. The trees and lawns are neatly trimmed and the buildings and fences are well maintained.

Of course these photos are for tourists who were traveling on the Lehigh Valley Railroad. Kleckner didn't photograph the tedious labor involved to keeping the town in order. Just as the Nisky Hill property was beginning to be converted into a cemetery, Kleckner photographed this picturesque spot where locals watched train and canal traffic. He captured Calypso Island as a lovely place to boat and picnic.

Kleckner included Bethlehem industry too, Sand Island, Bethlehem Rolling Mill, Lehigh Zinc Company, and Borheck's Lumbar Yard. He established a successful photographic studio on Broad Street, however the small town would soon proved too tame to contain his interests.

Kleckner was born Aug. 16, 1844, in Bethlehem to Peter Kleckner (the town miller) and Caroline George. His younger sister, Cordelia, was born 11 years later. His parents were devout Moravians and Kleckner was educated in the Moravian schools in Bethlehem and Nazareth.

As he was hired for photography work with the Lehigh Valley Railroad and magazines like Harper's Weekly, Kleckner was required to travel out west. He took the to heart the popular saying at the time, "Go West, young man, go West and grow up with the country." He settled in Osborne, Kan., in 1878 and built the first photography studio in the area. A fellow photographer from Bethlehem, Harry Perkins, soon joined him.

At the time, farmers were rapidly settling Kansas. It was still the Wild West with fights between cattlemen and farmers and the famous Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp were the local lawmen. Kleckner photographed Native Americans, buffalo hunters and sod houses built by new settlers. The Osborne County Kansas Hall of Fame organization continue Kleckner's story on its blog, https://ochf.wordpress.com.

In 1880, Moulton married Elizabeth "Lizzie" Leibensperger in Osborne. The couple moved to Atchison, Kan., and relocated the Kleckner Photograph Studio there. After Lizzie past away in 1897, Kleckner continued with his studio work in Atchinson.

In 1901 he was asked by 32-year-old photographer Rose Rochford to instruct her in modern photography. Rose was already an accomplished photographer with her own studio. She looked to Kleckner as a mentor. He was impressed by her as well. The next year they formed a partnership and established the Rochford-Kleckner Studio in Osborne. Their business partnership soon blossomed into love and the couple were married in 1902.

Customers traveled from far and wide to be photographed by the talented couple. They were so sought after that they rarely had a day off.

Moulton Kleckner died March 23, 1922, and was buried in Atchison beside his first wife, Elizabeth. Rose continued to take photographs after his death until poor health forced her to close the studio in 1946. Rose wrote in the Osborne County Farmer newspaper on March 28, 1946, "After 48 years of photographing the people of Osborne and vicinity, from the fourth, and frequently the fifth generation, down to the tots of today, Kleckner's Studio is quitting business. And it is with a certain degree of satisfaction I quote the photographer's national slogan, 'Photographs Live Forever' . . . I want to thank one and all for their splendid patronage, and though I will not be doing business the 'latch string will always be out' at the old home as long as I am here. Come in, let's visit. Sincerely, Rose F. Kleckner."

Editor's note: The references for this column were not included when the original article appeared in 2013. The Osborne County Kansas Hall of Fame has graciously permitted the reprinting of this column. You may be interested that the organization has just released a new book, The Osborne County Kansas Hall of Fame: Expanded Edition 1996-2015. Contact: OCHF Book, OCGHS, 307 West Main Street, Osborne KS 67473 for more information.