George Laurence Ullom Photograph Collection (PH-00118)

George Laurence “Larry” Ullom was a renowned photographer of Southern Nevada, who owned Ullom’s Desert Art Studio, located in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ullom was born to John T. Ullom and Carry D. Haynes on January 17, 1894 in Ohio. His first job sparked his interest in photography. While working in the oil fields of Ohio, a traveling photographer documented the refinery work, and Ullom followed the documenter throughout his time there noting the processes of the photograph industry. Ullom soon bought his own camera and began selling postcards depicting oil fields and laborers. Ullom also worked as a farmer, but quit to attend a four year photography apprenticeship with Davies Studio in Parkersburg, Ohio. Ullom eventually came to Las Vegas in 1925 to assist with his father and uncle's business, Ullom’s Hardware Store, located on Fremont Street. In 1927, Larry quit the business and created his own photography shop, located in a tent on 5th Street,now Las Vegas Boulevard, at the corner of Bonneville Avenue. The business grew steadily and his reputation in Las Vegas led to his selection as a photographer for the Associated Press in the 1930s. He created a new studio with a downtown storefront at 6th and Fremont Street.

The Associated Press, Atlantic News, and Acme News hired Ullom to transmit photographs of important events, such as the Carole Lombard airplane crash in 1942 and Nevada Test Site nuclear detonations, to national news bureaus. In addition to working for these news companies, Ullom traveled throughout Southern Nevada, taking pictures of Searchlight, Moapa, and Pahranagat Valley community life and economic development. Ullom partnered with the county agent for the Agricultural Extension Service, John Wittwer, and depicted processes of farm field health by showing fields with and without fertilizer, he also documented poultry, sheep, farm products, and the 4-H Club—primarily in Overton and Hiko, Nevada. Ullom also worked with the Bureau of Reclamation, documenting the construction of Boulder Dam and the officials who visited the project and Las Vegas during the dam’s construction.

A prominent feature of his photography were wedding chapel marriage documentations, depictions of the Nevada Test Site nuclear detonations, and photographs of the development and evolution of Las Vegas, with events such as Helldorado, and scenes from St. Thomas before it was flooded during Lake Mead's construction. Ullom closed his shop in 1974.

Ullom’s civic participation focused on his professional activities, maintaining memberships in organizations such as the Professional Photographers Association of Southern Nevada and the Press Club. Ullom invented his own film cooling system that used water evaporation to keep the film at a proper temperature for development. Ullom died in May of 1978.

Sources:

Georgia Lewis. “Pioneer Photographer.” The Nevadan. April 6, 1975.

Ullom, George Laurence. Interview, 1976 March 04. Oral History Research Center, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.