Oliver E. Aultman opened the Aultman Photography Studio in Trinidad, Colorado in 1890. Using glass plate negatives and, later, film, Mr. Aultman made studio portraits of thousands of southern Colorado residents. The portrait collection reflects the ethnic diversity of southern Colorado at the time. Aultman also photographed the city of Trinidad and surrounding areas.

Following O.E. Aultman's death in 1954, his son Glen Aultman operated the studio until his death in 2000. History Colorado purchased Aultman Studio negatives from Glen Aultman during the 1960s. Glen Aultman later donated additional materials including photographs, studio equipment, and furniture.

Today, the collection includes approximately 50,000 negatives, as well as studio registers, which provide a record of individuals and families who sat for and purchased Aultman photographs. Browse lists here.

Many Aultman images are available to view online via History Colorado Online Collection. Ask us about using our database to look for additional information.

Reproductions of Aultman Studio photographs are available for personal use or publication. Please fill out the Reproduction Request form or contact photos@state.co.us for more information.

Glass plate negatives from the Aultman Studio Collection are conditionally available for research use in the Stephen H. Hart Research Center. Requests to view glass negatives must be made at least one month in advance by contacting photos@state.co.us. Permission to view and handle glass negatives is dependent on the approval of the Curator of Photography, as well as on the condition of the negatives, size of the request, and staff availability to retrieve the requested items. Broken negatives, negatives with flaking or damaged emulsion, and negatives larger than 8"x10" are not available for research.