SHSND Home > Archives > Archives Holdings > Archives & Manuscripts > Family/Local History > 11272
To schedule an appointment, please contact us at 701.328.2091 or archives@nd.gov.

OCLC WorldCat Logo

SHSND Photobook - Digitized images from State Archives

Digital Horizons

2019-2021 Blue Book Cover

Federal Depository Library Program

Chronicling America

Manuscripts by Subject - Family/Local History - #11272

Title: William M. Leingang Sr.

Dates: ca. 1942-1970s

Collection Number: 11272

Quantity: 1 foot

Abstract: Consists of 16mm film footage shot by William M. Leingang Sr. Topics of the footage include marching bands, the Bismarck High School Demonettes, the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit boys choir, Miss North Dakota pageant, Miss Indian North Dakota pageant, go-kart racing, Band Day, the Northern Pacific Railroad yard, and aerial footage of flooding in the Red River Valley from 1969. Also in the collection are slides of the Meyer Television newscast team including Roger Higgins, Al Gustin, Bob McLeod, Jess Cooper, and Jim Bucklin.

Provenance: William Leingang, Jr. donated his film collection to the State Historical Society of North Dakota in February 2001. An addition to the collection was made on September 3, 2015 by William L. Leingang Jr.

Property Rights: The State Historical Society of North Dakota owns the property rights to this collection.

Copyrights: Copyrights to this collection remain with the donor, publisher, author, or author's heirs.  Researchers should consult the 1976 Copyright Act, Public Law 94-553, Title 17, U.S. Code or an archivist at this repository if clarification of copyright requirements is needed.

Access: This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.

Citation: Researchers are requested to cite the collection title, collection number, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota in all footnote and bibliographic references.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
William “Bill” Leingang Sr.
From Bill Leingang Sr.’s obituary in the Bismarck Tribune, September 4, 2010

William “Bill” Leingang, 83, Bismarck, died September 1, 2010 at St. Alexius Medical Center, Bismarck. 

William Michael “Bill” Leingang was born February 19, 1927, on a farm in Sioux County near Solen, to Ralph and Christine (Beckler) Leingang.

When the drought and dry years came, they moved to Linton.  In 1940, his father passed away and the family moved to Mandan where Bill attended St. Joseph’s grade and Mandan High Schools.  In his sophomore year, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force on June 18, 1945, to serve in World War II until December 17, 1946, when he returned to complete high school, graduating in 1949.  His lifelong love of photography and cinematography began in high school as school photographer and he also worked for Mohr Photo Studio and the Mandan and Palace Theatres.  In the following years, Bill worked with the Army Corps of Engineers, the ND Highway Department, Northwest Mapping, and the Northern Pacific Railroad until September of 1952.

Bill married Donna Boehm at St. Joseph’s Church in Mandan on September 20, 1952.  On their honeymoon, they moved to the West Coast and both worked from the International Harvester Co.  After about seven months, they decided to return to the North Dakota they loved and missed and Bill returned to Northwest Mapping.  When KFYR-TV came on the air in 1953 he again was able to use his film and photo experience producing movies, commercials, and news pictures and film for the station for over 20 years. He filmed and photographed Presidents from Kennedy to Reagan.  During the late 60s and into the late 70s, Bill and Donna co-owned and operated Bill’s Magnavox Home Entertainment Center with Bob Wiest and they later added Guitarland music store with Sam Wangler and Bob Wiest, his business partners.  In the 1980s, he and Donna co-managed the Wheel-a-While Roller Skating Rink for 13 years.  When the rink closed, he again called upon his photo experience and became the microfilm curator for the North Dakota State Heritage Society, where, among other recordings and restorations he converted and recorded the same films he had produced with KFYR years earlier.  Due to illness, Bill retired in 2002, and was memory impaired from all of his retirement years.  Bill was a great, blessed, hones, and sweet spirited husband and father to seven children, grandfather to 22 and great-grandfather to seven, with another new one due any day now.  He had a deep and vibrant faith and friendship with God and his Catholic faith. Family and faith were most important.

Bill loved photography, his blue “Beemer” BMW motorcycle, and roller-skating.  He often skated as far as six miles a day until his memory loss sidelined him.  He had a lifetime love of books and reading and amassed a huge collection of music and a love for which he imparted to his children.  He was a maestro on the harmonica.  Bill was a skilled artist and drew fabulously funny pictures of and for his grandchildren.  A favorite art tradition was his annual Christmas mural on the living room picture window.  While he never attended college, he was self-taught in subjects as diverse as theology, physics, geometry, electronics, and optics.  He loved to read about politics and political economy.

Now that Bill is back skating on Glory’s side, he waits in Heaven for the love of his life Donna.  He also leaves behind his children, Bill Jr. (Jackie), Colorado Springs, CO; Joe (Deb), Bismarck; Gordy (Jackie), Mandan; Maureen (Duane) Knoll, Bismarck; Kelly Quercia and her fiancé Brad, Boise, ID; John (Jennifer), Castle Rock, CO;  and Rosanne (Kevin) Epperson, Apple Valley, MN. His grandchildren are Will (Rose) and Angela Leingang; Elizabeth (Jason) Vick, Christine, Hannah and John-Del Leingang; Michael (Tricia) and Joey Paul (Nikki) Leingang, Katie Lyn Leingang (Landel) Sutton; Brandon, Jesse and Tara Silbernagel; Emily (Knoll)(Jim) Jefferson; Travis Foster (fiancé Kellie), Mark Knoll, Christopher Beaudoin (fiancé Cailin), Philip Turner Jr.,  Sam and Ben Leingang, and John, Carter, and Elijah Epperson.  Bill also leaves behind his precious great-grandchildren, Ani and Yosef Vick, Isaac and soon-to-be-born Leingang, Jalyn Jefferson, and Madison, Paiton, and Bentley Foster.

Bill also leaves his sister, Lillian Gilbert, sister-in-law Ruth Leingang, sister-in-law Margaret Volk, Aunt Bonita (Beckler) (Art) Hammeral; and nieces and nephews.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents, Ralph Leingang and Christine (Beckler-Leingang) Williamson; and stepfather, Gordon Williamson; big brother Luke and sister Viola.

INVENTORY

Box/Folder/Description/Date


Box 1:
1 35mm slides of the Meyer Television newscast team including Roger Higgins, Al Gustin, Bob McLeod, Jess Cooper, and Jim Bucklin.

MOVING IMAGE INVENTORY

Finding Aid Number/Description

11272-00001       WWII Civil Defense film dramatizing air raid and job of air raid wardens, ca. 1942
11272-00002       Christmas Concert at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit -Boys’ Choir and Organ, Bismarck (N.D.)
11272-00003       Miss North Dakota pageant
11272-00004       Miss North Dakota and Miss Indian North Dakota pose with 1955 T-Bird, Bismarck (N.D.), 1955
11272-00005       Miss North Dakota parade and pageant, Bismarck (N.D.), ca. 1950
11272-00006       Elementary school graduation at Cathedral School, Bismarck (N.D.)
11272-00007       Roller skating (Wheel-a-while?),Bismarck (N.D.)
11272-00008       Band Day parade, Bismarck (N.D.)
11272-00009       Band Day parade, Bismarck (N.D.)
11272-00010       Oscilloscope Starburst music - sound only, no picture
11272-00011       Fireworks display
11272-00012       Guitarland Motorola commercial, Bismarck (N.D.)
11272-00013       Part of a dairy commercial for Cloverdale Foods - animated, Bismarck (N.D.)
11272-00014       Mandan Rail Yard activities - end of film shows car running stop sign, Mandan (N.D.)
11272-00015       Go-cart races
11272-00016       Germany Surrenders -"Great Moments" Army recruiting film
11272-00017       Bismarck High Demonettes performing, Bismarck (N.D.)
11272-00018       Out-takes of Gordon Leingang doing commercial for sheriff candidate, Bismarck (N.D.)
11272-00019       Mandan HS marching band performing on football field, Mandan (N.D.)
11272-00020       "Olin Mfgr" farm implement demonstration
11272-00021       Oscilloscope music with scope graphics
11272-00022       Leingang family activities over time. Includes some color and sound and segment on astronaut, Bismarck (N.D.)
11272-00023       Aerial footage of Red River Valley flood, 1969

Address:
612 East Boulevard Ave.
Bismarck, North Dakota 58505
Get Directions

Hours:
State Museum and Store: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. M-F; Sat. & Sun. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
We are closed New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
State Archives: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. M-F, except state holidays; 2nd Sat. of each month, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Appointments are recommended. To schedule an appointment, please contact us at 701.328.2091 or archives@nd.gov.
State Historical Society offices: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. M-F, except state holidays.

Contact Us:
phone: 701.328.2666
email: history@nd.gov

Social Media:
See all social media accounts