All images below were rescued from imminent disposal. Despite severe damage to the negatives - remarkable views from the past come to life. Each negative was hand captioned, and utilized a unique catalog numbering system. Negative envelopes include the matching numbers, along with notes on postcard re-order quantities.
Within the negatives includes examples of work done for other photographers such as Roy Tuley, Stanrich Studios, and Ward's Photo of Dalton, GA. Cline specialized in creating captioned postcards used to promote businesses. Several WAPO radio personalities had their own sets of cards.
During the 'Trail of Tears' in 1838-1839 a few hundred Cherokees avoided forced removal and remained in the mountains of North Carolina. They organized and formed a corporation in 1870 to be able to purchase and hold additional lands. Today, within the ‘The Qualla Boundary’, is territory held as a land trust by the United States government for the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
Cline captured snapshots of everyday life in small towns across 24 states, providing equal attention to each community he encountered. These photographs serve as valuable glimpses into the past, potentially representing the only surviving visual records of these places in their prime.