Burl Morrison and his dog, c. 1889. Custer County, Nebraska (Photographer: Solomon D. Butcher) Solomon D. Butcher, a roaming photographer of considerable wanderlust, dedicated most of his days to the heartland of central Nebraska, capturing the unfolding narrative of white settlers in the region. Embracing the Homestead Act as a settler, he embarked on his documentary mission in 1886, resulting in a remarkable collection of over 3,000 surviving negatives, with over 1,000 showcasing the humble abodes of sod houses. To establish his inaugural photography studio in Custer County, Butcher meticulously saved some of his teaching salaries and sought additional funds through borrowing. The studio was a modest structure crafted from lath and adobe, measuring a practical 18 by 28 feet. Its floor consisted of simple dirt; the windows were cloaked in cotton sheeting instead of glass. In an unconventional move, Butcher repurposed an old cloth wagon cover as a backdrop for his phot...