The photography and film of a Japanese immigrant who spent decades capturing everyday life in Pueblo is on display through an online exhibit presented by the Pueblo City-County Library District.
“Natural Framing: The Life and Work of Frank D. Muramoto” showcases the vast body of work captured on film by Frank “Duke” Denichi Muramoto, a native of Japan who lived in Pueblo from 1912 until his death in 1958.
Muramoto s high-quality collection showcases Pueblo’s history and diversity.
“He’s a very good photographer so his images are clear and the subjects he’s featuring … were people of all ethnicities, of all races and backgrounds,” said Aaron Ramirez, manager of special collections and museum services for the library district.
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xplore history captured on film with Pueblo Libraryâs new online exhibit, âNatural Framing: The Life and Work of Frank D. Muramoto.â The exhibit is a fascinating look at the Japanese-American experience here in southern Colorado, as well as a unique display of Colorado history.
If You Go
Born in 1884 in Tsuno, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, Frank âDukeâ Denichi Muramoto arrived in San Francisco in 1903 as a first-generation immigrant. For a decade, he moved about the country working different jobs. He started as a laborer on the Union Pacific Railroad, worked beet fields in Colorado and several other jobs. The exhibition notes he even worked for architect Frank Lloyd Wright before attending a leading photography school in Illinois. Muramoto ultimately settled in Pueblo in 1912 and lived there until his passing in 1958.