Meet The Man Behind Minnesota’s Beloved Photo Grace

The state photo in Minnesota is one that existed in many homes in throughout the state starting in the 1930s.  The photo called "Grace" was taken by Eric Enstrom of an elderly man, Charles Wilden with his hands folded.  The year the photo was taken is somewhat disputed but numerous sources believe it was taken between 1918-1920 in Enstrom's photography studio in Bovey, Minnesota.  Bovey is located in northern Minnesota near Coleraine near Trout Lake.

Wilden's Background

Wilden is believed to have worked as a peddler and lived in a sod house.  He was paid $5 by Enstrom in return for waiving his rights to the photograph in 1926.  Enstrom later tried to track down Wilden or his family to further reimburse the family but were unable to find him.  The photograph became popular in Minnesota and was mass produced after Enstrom licensed it to Augsburg Publishing House in 1930.  Enstrom's daughter, Rhoda Nyberg colorized the photo by hand.

Became the State Photo

Enstrom reportedly earned a modest amount of money for the photo.  He died in 1968, Nyberg died in 2012.  In 2002 an act by the Minnesota State legislature made the photograph, the state photograph.  The photo exists in many Minnesota kitchens and dining rooms.