Mail Carrier with a Camera: Photographs by Burford Royston

The exhibition Mail Carrier with a Camera: Photographs by Burford Royston features over 75 captivating images, mostly taken in the 1950s, that chronicle the lives of rural Howard County, Missouri, residents along Royston’s mail route. These photographs were selected from hundreds of slides in the Burford Leon Royston Collection, recently donated to the State Historical Society of Missouri by the Royston family. Burford’s keen eye captured portraits and landscapes of many people and places that have since disappeared, yet his imagery reflects the dynamic and spontaneous energy of rural life that continues to resonate with Missourians today. 

Join us for the opening reception and book release Saturday, July 12, 10-noon at the State Historical Society of Missouri. 

Made possible by a generous gift from Susan Vale, this exhibition will run through September of 2025. The book by the same title featuring select images will be available, beginning July 12, in the SHSMO Richard Bookstore. You can also order the book at shop.shsmo.org.