About Omar Hawkins

Omar Finlay Hawkins, the son of Dr. Robert and Rachel Hawkins, was born February 11, 1890 in Marysville, Kansas. He lived his entire life in the family home at 601 North Eleventh Street, and it was in this house that Omar established his photography business.

As a young man, Omar honed his skills as an amateur photographer taking images of personal interest. In 1915, he began his commercial photography business and supplemented his income driving a delivery wagon. As his business grew, he was able to devote all of his time and energy to commercial photography.

Omar Hawkins lived and died in relative obscurity in the family home. Although little is know about Hawkins' life, he left a valuable photographic legacy that visually documents Marysville and surrounding areas. Dennis Richardson, Marysville, Kansas donated the Omar F. Hawkins collection, which numbers 13,000 images.