The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Jack Baxter caught a picture of President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1960. photo by Jack Baxter Jack Baxter's May, 1960, picture of Dwight Eisenhower addressing the people of Pittsfield, Maine, may bring back memories of a gentler time for some mature readers.

Baxter has his large, framed black-and-white picture displayed in the Sparks room at the Black Butte Ranch Lodge along with other prints.

The photograph came about when Eisenhower cut short a Maine fishing trip and was headed to the airport for a flight back to Washington to face a crisis over a U-2 spy plane being shot down over Russia.

Senator Margaret Chase Smith, according to Baxter, arranged a short side trip by the Eisenhower motorcade through downtown Pittsfield.

"Apparently, the town knew about the visit far enough ahead of time to hang some flags and gather the populace for the drive through," Baxter said. "The President asked Senator Smith why there were so many people in the street, and she replied 'They are here to welcome you, Mr. President,' whereupon Ike tapped the driver on the shoulder and said 'Stop the car I want to get out and talk to these people.' He got out of the car, much to the consternation of the secret service men, took a microphone and made an inspiring speech."

The picture was taken on 35mm Plus-X film.

"The remarkable detail and sharpness at that degree of enlargement (about 3-by-4 feet) is testimonial to the quality of the Leica lens," he said. "The film was developed by me in my home darkroom, a converted coal bin. I projected my enlarger onto the floor. With paper in place I exposed the film on my hands and knees with buckets of developer, short stop, fixer and a sponge I processed and washed it in the family bathtub."