Paul Simon's lyrics seem sadly prophetic. This week, Kodachrome went away. The last roll of Kodachrome film was developed at Dwayne's Photo Service in Parsons, Kansas. We have witnessed an historic shift in technology.When I think back on all the crap I've learned in high school
It's a wonder I can think at all
Though my lack of education hasn't hurt me much
I can read the writings on the walls
Kodachrome, they give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera, I love to take a photograph
So mama don't take my Kodachrome away
Kodak stopped manufacturing Kodachrome last year. (See my article from last year at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2009/06/kodak-kills-kodachrome.html.) Kodachrome was a complex film to manufacture and required a complicated and expensive process to develop. As sales of digital cameras soared, sales of Kodachrome film plummeted. Eventually, neither Kodak nor the one remaining processing lab could make a profit.
Kodak shut down the manufacturing last year. The sole remaining processing lab, Dwayne's Photo Service, continued to process the few rolls they received, but fewer and fewer customers sent in rolls to be processed. A few customers may have a few rolls remaining on the shelf, but Dwayne's Photo Service can't make a profit on that. This week, Dewayne's developed their last roll and now is in the process of removing the equipment to make room for something that is more useful.
You can read more about this end of history and about the famous photographer who was the last Kodachrome customer at Dwayne's Photo Service at http://www.kansas.com/2010/07/14/1403115/last-kodachrome-roll-processed.html
I think I still have a roll of Kodachrome from my vacation in 1974 that hasn't yet been developed...
You won't see many music videos in this genealogy newsletter but here's one:
My thanks to Jeri Steele for telling me about this story.
