The Human Services Center in Yankton, South Dakota was built and administered by Dr. Leonard C. Mead in 1882. It was psychiatric hospital that is still in existence today. The architecture of the original campus is unique and designed in part by Mead himself. A significant amount of the labor was provided by patients. Dr. Mead believed that original art should grace all aspect of the campus and commissioned many artists over the years. In a 1937 list of paintings at the Center, 11 where attributed to Ashford. The main building of the historic campus, named after Dr. Mead himself (now called Mead Cultural Education Center), is the new home of the Dakota Territorial Museum. They, along with other organizations, have been restoring and preserving this unique building. Only three of Ashford’s painting are still at the Center. This Adams portrait is one of them. Adams was the superintendent of the Human Services Center after Dr. Mead. This painting is 30 x 36 inches and is signed, Ashford. The date is unknown.
Used with permission from State of South Dakota Art Collection.