Tractor Square Dance, Early, Iowa (1957)

A 1:25 minute film clip is from "The Golden West" (1957), a travel film made by Thayer Soule for his popular live touring travel lectures given throughout the United States. Soule, a Harvard graduate and decorated WWII veteran, worked with Burton Holmes who was considered the dean of travel-lecturers. In 1951 Soule inherited the mantle from Holmes and continued to make films and lecture for three decades. The Human Studies Film Archives, Smithsonian Institution, archives his films, publicity materials, and printed scripts and audio lectures. For more information, search SOVA.si.edu for the Thayer Soule finding aid.