Bob Wyer's Delaware County:
Photographs From the Mid-20th Century

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Robert Selden Wyer, better known as "Bob," was born in Plainfield, NJ on August 15, 1908, the son of Arthur Charles Wyer and Louisa Selden Wyer. As a youth, Bob had been interested in becoming a commercial artist, so after graduating from Delaware Academy, he took night courses at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn while working at an advertising agency during the day. He quickly realized, however, that advertising was not of interest to him. In the early 1930s, he returned to Delhi and worked for his father on the Delaware Express, the Walton Reporter and the Oneonta Daily Star as the Delaware County Correspondent. In 1933, Bob Wyer married Wilhelmina "Billie" Sebesta.


Portraits of Billie and Bob Wyer, January 1960.


In his early reporting days, newspapers used few, if any photos, but in 1936 the Daily Star put in a photo engraving department and bought Bob a camera. He learned how to develop film and make prints and discovered that he loved it. He turned his living room into a studio and by 1942 he had set up shop at 10 Court Street in Delhi. Bob joined several state and national professional photographer associations and learned a great deal to improve his photography efforts. Over the course of his long career he won a number of state and national awards for his photographic work.

Bob's wife Billie was integral to his success, managing his files and creating an index to the ever-growing collection of negatives (some of the images on exhibit show the Wyers' indexing system). Billie also was crucial to setting up a photograph. Whether it was a wedding, baby or a graduation portrait, she knew how to get the best pose from people. After the Second World War it was Billie who started "Bob Wyer Photocards," a postcard business. This proved to be a lucrative business, so much so that after 1960 he dropped some of his other kinds of photo work, including weddings, to focus on the photocards. The postcards soon became a national business. Bob estimated that something like 56 million of their cards had been mailed all over the country. At one point, Bob and Billie had cornered about twenty percent of the college postcard market. This work involved extensive travel, about 20,000 to 30,000 miles a year, and all by car.


Bob Wyer, Self portrait, December 1951.


During all of this, Bob and Billie continued their studio work, including portraits, passport photographs and yearbook pictures. By 1965, the studio and postcard business could no longer be contained in the Court Street building, so they purchased a former lumber company structure at 113 Main Street in Delhi and purchased all new equipment.

In 1979, Bob and Billie retired from the studio work and donated their collection of over 150,000 negatives to the Delaware County Historical Association. They continued the college postcard work. Billie died in December 1981 and Bob followed her in July 1982, dying quietly at home in his favorite chair.


Photographs of different subjects can be found by clicking on the following links.

World War II

Celebrity

Murder in Masonville

McLean BBQ

Senior Portraits


Click on each image for larger view.

Liquor raid,
1938.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Spectators reacting to Walton Baseball team losing its lead. Man in suspenders is George Palmater.
1939.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Caroline Throp and Richard Bunting, Bunting Dance School, Delhi,
November 1939.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Patty Delameter and Patty Shaver, Bunting Dance School, Delhi,
November 1939.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



C.E. Kiff feed mill, Delhi,
December 1939.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

4-H Club rescue training class,
May 1939.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

4-H Club basket weaving class,
May 1939.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Nora Jefferson, fishing,
May 1940.
Jefferson was the cook at the Lake Delaware Boys Camp for a number of years.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



Sheffield Creamery, Bloomville,
May 1940.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Delaware Academy students posing on boxcar,
1939.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Delaware County Farmers' Co-op, Delhi,
March 1940
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Movie star Tom Mix with Smalley's Theatre owner Frank Every, Delhi,
July 23, 1940.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



Tunis Lake. At far right is Harold Cole. Andes,
November 1940.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Worker pouring powder milk, Meridale Dairies,
February 1941.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Accused murderer William Roe (far left) being escorted from the Delaware County Jail, Delhi,
March 1941.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Horse show at the Delaware County Fair, Walton,
August 1941.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



Milk Strike,
July 1941.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Milk Strike,
July 1941.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Milk Strike,
July 1941.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Milk Strike,
July 1941.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



Firemen's tournament, Sidney,
September 1941.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Firemen's tournament, Sidney,
September 1941.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Sale of Cauliflower, Margaretville,
1941.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Ice Harvesting, Spring Lake, Town of Meredith,
January 1942.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



Robert Budine with beef calf,
September 1942.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Handcuffed wife murderer, Leroy Luscomb, with victim, Ella Luscomb, on bed behind, Town of Hancock,
April 1943.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Livestock sale at Meridale Farms, Meredith,
June 1943.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

GLF workers in shop,
February 1944.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



GLF workers on service van,
February 1944.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Charlotte Valley School Band,
March 1944.
Alice Nichols Norberg is in the front, third from the right.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Worker in spool room of Julius Kayser Company, Walton,
April 1944.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Max Kass Inn. Max and Sadie Kass behind bar. Sitting at the bar is Dewey Bramley. Margaretville,
July 1944.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



Melucci's illegal still discovered in South Kortright,
February 1945.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Group portrait from the International Assembly of Women, McLean Estate, South Kortright,
October 1946.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Tractor School, probably at Delhi College,
May 1947.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Margaretville,
June 5, 1947.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



Mrs. George Baxter,"stick-up", Cannonsville,
August 21, 1947.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Car jumping at the Delaware County Fair, Walton,
August 1947.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Strong man at the Delaware County Fair, Walton,
August 1947.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Flooding highway, Hamden,
February 14, 1948.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



Unloading cow from Meridale Farms truck, Oneonta Depot,
March 1948.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Rodeo at Roundup Ranch, Downsville,
May 1949.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

The New York State Conservation Department cleaning a river,
August 1949.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Village of Cannonsville,
January 1950.
This is one of the villages that was demolished to make way for the Cannonsville Reservoir in the late 1950s.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



O&W train derailment near Hamden,
March 9, 1950.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Hearing concerning the construction of the Cannonsville Reservoir,
March 22, 1950.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Home town minstrels, Delaware Academy auditorium, Delhi. Left to right: Russ Winand, Pete Mokay, Rex Waring, Walt Maxwell, Jim Monroe, Ed Lee, Jim Hoyt, Bill Mokay, Art Maxwell and Ray Secord. In the center of the group is Mrs. Charles Klepetar.
April 1950.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Home town minstrels, Delaware Academy, Delhi. Lorna Bramley (far right) and Barbara Bramer (second from right).
April 1950.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



Hay fields at 'Pepacton Farms,'owned by Isaac and Dorothy Jacobson. Photograph was taken as part of claim against New York City concerning land to be lost for the reservoir.
June 1950.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Fleischmanns Flood,
November 26, 1950.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Fleischmanns Flood,
November 26, 1950.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Camp Pakatakan, second from left Janet Dixon. Andes,
August 1951.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



Kevin, Alan and Richard Lee, three sons of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lee, Delhi,
November 1951.
This photograph won a prize from the Professional Photographers Society of New York in May 1952.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Peter Wyer, son of Bob Wyer, at the Catskill Game Farm,
September 1952.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Ulster and Delaware Railroad,
May 1953.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Camp Tarigo kitchen staff, Fleischmanns,
August 1953. Camp TA-RI-GO, located up the hill on Little Red Kill Road in Fleischmanns, New York, was a Jewish summer camp for several hundred boys and girls from before World War II until 1977.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



Fatal tractor accident, Herbert Witt, victim.
May 1954.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York).

Village of Hancock,
May 1955.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Crash of a two-seater Piper Cub in East Delhi near the home of Wyatt Frisbee. Jake Aikens is at far right.
August 29, 1956.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

James Kinsey as Santa Claus, Delhi. Girl in dark coat on sleigh behind boy at head of the sleigh is Beth Norberg.
December 1958.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)



Opening of the new Grand Union, Delhi. Woman in black wearing glasses is Carolyn Boyle.
June 3, 1959.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Pete Yonclas in Pete's Candy Kitchen, Delhi, December 1962. Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Bob Wyer's studio, Main Street, Delhi,
April 1965.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)

Bob Wyer's studio, Main Street, Delhi,
December 1965.
Photograph by Bob Wyer, from the archives of the Delaware County Historical Association (New York)


This exhibit was funded by:
The A. Lindsay and Olive B. O'Connor Foundation, Inc.
The Tianaderrah Foundation

For more information on the Bob Wyer collection or to purchase a print or digital copy please contact DCHA at (607)-746-3849 or e-mail dcha@delhi.net
Cost: $10 digital and $20 for a print.
This money will help with the care of the Delaware County Historical Association's Archives.

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