A 5"x7" acetate negative, photograph of Floyd Nichols, David City, Nebraska, welding in his workshop. He is wearing a dark, short-sleeve shirt with contrast color collar, dark belted pants, a chain with medallion hanging from his neck and dark, protective glasses. He is holding a welder in one hand, bending over a workbench in a brick-walled garage surrounded by tools, anvil and work gloves, a shelf hanging on the wall with a variety of welded sculptures and a sign that reads "Do not watch the arc light, it will burn your eyes).
Thorpe Opera House Foundation/Boston Studio Project
Local Accession Number
00U08080005
Source
Original format: 5"x7" Acetate negative from the Boston Studio Project collection.
Historical Notes
Floyd Francis Nichols, son of John Dale and Edith Pollman Nichols, grew up on his family's farm west of David City, Nebraska. From the age of 14, he broke and trained wild horses. In 1912, at the age of 16, he headed for Wyoming on horseback. He worked his way west, stopping for several weeks to work for Jules Sandos and became well acquainted with Marie Sandos. He lived with a group of Native Americans in the Badlands before finally reaching his aunt's ranch in Wyoming where he intended to homestead. Before he could get homestead rights, World War I broke out. He grew a mustache, lied about his age and enlisted. During World War I, he was trained to ride a motorcycle and carried messages to the front lines. Following the war he returned to David City and became a welder and sculptor. He married Stella V. Starosick, November 9, 1920. He became well-known for his welded statuettes depicting western images and hand-forged knives. He also thrilled local audiences by racing his motorcycle at various fairs and gave demonstrations on how to jump tree stumps, logs and trenches. He and Stella had five children. Floyd died in 1958.
