The Films of Raymond Sprague I

links to the collection

This post collates links to 16mm films taken by Raymond Sprague I. The films span the time period from the late 1920s to the early 1950s. They include family events as well as extensive travel across the United States (particularly within national parks) and also around the world. It’s a unique window into the adventurous life of a self-made man, and captures pre-WWII life in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Film links will be added to the list below as they are digitized. Use the site’s film gallery to browse by date.

BATCH 1:

1. Film 1: Ailsa and Muriel Sprague at a school field day (1929)

2. Film 2: Ailsa and Muriel Sprague at a school field day (1929)

3. Film 3: Ray I, Beulah, Raymond A. (Laddie), Ailsa, and Muriel Sprague at Railsmuir (1929) 

4. Film 4: Laddie horse jumping and Muriel with dog (1929)

5. Film 5: Laddie horse jumping, with family and staffer Albert Alemany (1929)

6. Film 6: A school play or performance (1929)

7. Film 7: Home movies from Railsmuir (1931)

8. Film 8: Railsmuir house and grounds (1934)

9. Film 9: Railsmuir, including grandkids Susie, Merle, and KT (1947)

10. Film 10: Railsmuir, including Susie, Merle, KT, & Needly (1949)

11. Film 11: Railsmuir, including grandkids and Ailsa/Charlie FEnnel (1949)

12. Film 12: Railsmuir, including boat ride with Muriel/Pete Lockwood(1951)

BATCH 2:

1. Film 1: Montana dude ranch - breaking/riding horses (c1934)

2. Film 2: Montana dude ranch - branding a calf (c1934)

3. Film 3: Trip west/north (c1934)

4. Film 4: Trail riding in Canada (c1934)

5. Film 5: Yellowstone National Park (c1934)

6. Film 6: Puerto Rico/Santo Domingo (March 1930)

7. Film 7: Trail riding west/north (c1934)

8. Film 8: Jasper National Park (c1934)

9. Film 9: Germany, Lake Como, Venice, etc. (c1930)

10. Film 10: Germany (c1930)

11. Film 11: National Parks [?]  (c1932), color

12. Film 12: Sequoia/Kings Canyon (c1932), color

BATCH 3: 

1. Film 1a and Film 1b: Greenwich home movies (1928)

2. Film 2: Compo Beach, Westport (1930)

3. Film 3: Railsmuir hobbies (1935)

4. Film 4: Travel film, unspecified location (1935)

5. Film 5: Railsmuir grounds (1936)

6. Film 6: Dixville Notch and the Balsams, Railsmuir gardens (1938)

7. Film 7: Fishing at Fox Island River, Newfoundland (1942)

8. Film 8: Fishing at Fox Island River, Newfoundland (1942)

9. Film 9: Granddaughter Susan at Railsmuir (1942)

10. Film 10: Grandkids at Railsmuir (1951)

11. Film 11: Yosemite, Mariposa, L.A. (1932)

12. Film 12 : Unidentified travel (c late 1930s)

13. Film 13: San Francisco harbor (1934)

14. Film 14 : San Francisco—Golden Gate International Exposition (1939)

15. Film 15: San Francisco—Golden Gate International Exposition (1939)

16. Film 16: Lake Louise, Banff, Jasper (c1934)

17. Film 17: Arizona Apache Trail, 1 (1942)

18. Film 18: Arizona Apache Trail, 2 (1942)

19. Film 19: Arizona Apache Trail, 3 (1942)

20. Film 20: Grand Canyon—South Rim, 1 (1942)

21. Film 21: Grand Canyon—South Rim, 2 (1942)

22. Film 22: Grand Canyon—South Rim, 3 (1942)

23. Film 23: Grand Canyon—South Rim, 4 (1942)

24. Film 24: Grand Canyon—South Rim, 5 (1942)

25. Film 25: Grand Canyon—South Rim, 6 (1942)

26. Film 26: Santa Fe, 1 (1942)

27. Film 27: Santa Fe, 2 (1942)

28. Film 28: Buckingham Palace (1935)

29. Film 29: Lake Como, Amalfi, Sorrento, Capri (1934)

30. Film 30: Travel in France, 1 (c1930)

31. Film 31: Travel in France, 2 (c1930)

32. Film 32: Travel in Rome (c1930)

33. Film 33: Montana dude ranch (1932)

34. Film 34: Yellowstone, 1 (1932)

35. Film 35: Yellowstone, 2 (1932)

36. Film 36: North River Canyon, 1 (1942)

37. Film 37: North River Canyon, 2 (1942)

38. Film 38: Cedar Breaks, Red Canyon, Bryce (1942)

39. Film 39: Bryce to Canyon (1942)

40. Film 40: Oregon & Crater Lake (1942)

BATCH 4:

1. Film 1: Valentine & Sarah Sprague (1930)

2. Film 2: Sheridan, WY (1934)

3. Film 3: Canada/Alaska, films 10-11 (1931)

4. Film 4: Canada/ Alaska, films 1-5 (1931)

5. Film 5: Maligne Lake/Canadian Rockies (1932)

6. Film 6: Perce, Quebec/Bonaventure Island (1938)

7. Film 7: Panama Canal, film 1 (1932)

8. Film 8A and Film 8B: Panama Canal (1932)

9. Film 9: Mazatlan, Mexico (1934)

10. Film 10A and Film 10B: Panama Canal (1934)

11. Film 11: Guatemala (1934)

12. Film 12: Venezuela (1938)

13. Film 13: Peru (1938)

14. Film 14: Chile (1938)

15. Film 15: Peru, Chile (1938)

16. Film 16: Buenos Aires (1938)

17. Film 17: Brazil (1938)

18. Film 18: Chile, Argentina (1938)

19. Film 19: Rio, film 1 (1939)

20. Film 20: Rio, film 2 (1939)

21. Film 21: Rio, film 3 (1939)

22. Film 22: Rio, film 4 (1939)

23. Film 23: Rio, film 5 (1939)

24. Film 24: Mayanoshita, Japan, film 1 (1939)

25. Film 25: Mayanoshita, Japan, film 2 (1939)

26. Film 26: Hong Kong, film 1 (1939)

27. Film 27: Hong Kong, film 2 (1939)

28. Film 28: South America, plus film titles (c1934)

29. Film 29: Caribbean: Curacao (1934)

30. Film 30: Angel Stepe (1938)

31. Film 31: Caribbean: St. Georges (1938)

32. Film 32: Caribbean: St. Thomas, Martinique (1938)

33. Film 33: St. Kitts/Antigua/B.W.I. (1936)

34. Film 34: St. Lucia/Dominica/B.W.I. (1936

35. Film 35: Georgetown/British Guiana/Fort Island (1936)

36. Film 36: British Guiana, Trinidad (1936)

37. Film 37: Trinidad/Grenada (1936)

38. Film 38: Grange (1936)

39. Film 39: Philippines: Pagsanjan, film 1 (1939)

40. Film 40: Philippines: Pagsanjan, film 2 (1939)

BATCH 5:

1. Film 1: Philippines: NT Data to Bontoc (1939)

2. Film 2: Philippines: Bontoc-Banaue (1939)

3. Film 3: Yosemite National Park (1932)

4. Film 4: Philippines: Banaue Rice Terrace (1939)

5. Film 5: Philippines: Bontoc-Sabangan Rd. (1939)

6. Film 6: Philippines: Baguio Market (1939)

7. Film 7: Philippines: Film Titles (1939)

8. Film 8: Java: Djolkia (1939)

9. Film 9: Java: Batavra (1939)

10. Film 10: Macassar, film 1 (1939)

11. Film 11: Macassar, film 2 (1939)

12. Film 12: Sumatra, film 1: Ft. de Kock, Taroekrtoeng (1939)

13. Film 13: Sumatra, film 2: Padang, Simp Balige (1939)

14. Film 14: Sumatra, film 3: Balige, Prapat (1939)

15. Film 15: Sumatra, film 4: Prapat, Battok Village, Pematang Saantar (1939)

16. Film 16: Sumatra, film 5: Prapat (1939)

17. Film 17: Bali, film 1: Kloeng Kloeng Market (1939)

18. Film 18: Bali, film 2: Prasi, Funeral (1939)

19. Film 19: Bali, film 3: Water Palace, Karangasem, Besakih (1939)

20. Film 20: Bali, film 4: Court of Justice, Besakih, Den Pasar, Dancing (1939)

21. Film 21: Bali, film 5: Dances (1939)

22. Film 22: Bali, film 6: Dances (1939)

23. Film 23: Bali, film 7: Sacred Forest, Sangeh, Songkava, Kintamadi (1939)

24. Film 24: St. John, film 1: East End, Coral Bay (1940)

25. Film 25: St. John, film 2: Caneel Bay (1940)

26. Film 26: St. John, film 3: Caneel, Susannahberg (1940)

27. Film 27: St. John, film 4: Susannaberg, Caneel, Carib Inscriptions, Reef Bay (1940)

28. Film 28: St. John, film 5: Rams Head, Reef Bay, Cruz Bay, Caneel Bay (1940)

29. Film 29: [Cape Verde/Brazil], film 1 (1949)

30. Film 30: Cape Verde/Brazil, film 2: Boa Vista Mountains (1949)

31. Film 31: Cape Verde/Brazil, film 3: Belo Horizonte (1949)

32. Film 32: Cape Verde/Brazil, film 4: Therezopolis (1949)

33. Film 33: Cape Verde/Brazil, film 5: Therezopolis , Petropolis (1949)

34. Film 34: St. Croix, film 1 (1949)

35. Film 35: St. Croix, film 2 (1949)

36. Film 36: St. Croix, film 3 (1949)

37. Film 37: Theatrical performance, labeled “out of focus” (c1932)

38. Film 38: unlabeled (c1928)

39. Film 39: unlabeled (c1930) - condition too poor to digitize