Friday, July 25, 2025

Photo of a Group of Native Americans Probably Posing as Part of an Exhibit at the Great Central Fair, a Sanitary Fair in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1864)


Photo of a group of Native Americans probably posing as part of an exhibit at the Great Central Fair, a Sanitary Fair in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in June 1864. Taken by photographer James Cremer and originally published as a stereoview.

Source: New York Public Library.

Early Photo of the General Post Office Building in Washington DC (1850)

 


Photo of the General Post Office building in Washington, D.C., probably taken in July 1850. The building appears partially draped in dark mourning bunting to memorialize President Zachary Taylor who had died on July 9, 1850. This makes it probably the earliest extant photo showing memorialization of a recently deceased US President. Taken by the Langenheim brothers and originally published as a salted paper print.

Source: J. Paul Getty Museum.

Early Photo of Fort Lafayette Taken From Fort Hamilton in New York City (1860)

 


Photo of Fort Lafayette taken from Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, New York City, c. 1860. Taken by photographer Platt Babbitt and originally published as a glass stereoview.

Source: J. Paul Getty Museum.

Sunday, July 20, 2025

Photo of a Group of Mostly Teenagers Posing in a Street in the Five Points Neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City, New York (1870's)


Portrait of a group of mostly teenagers posing with a bakery wagon and what might be carts in a street of the Five Points neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City, New York, c. 1870s. Originally published as a stereoview by L. D. & Co.

Source: Library of Congress.

Thursday, July 17, 2025

Early Photo of Culp's Hill in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Taken by the Tyson Brothers (1863)

 

Early photo of Culp's Hill taken shortly after the Battle of Gettysburg by the Tyson brothers possibly in August 1863.

Source: New York Public Library.

Photo of Union Army Colonel Edward Cross Posing With a Group in Front of the Tip-Top House Near the Summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire (1862)

 

Photo of Union Army colonel Edward Cross posing with a group in front of the Tip-Top House near the summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire, 1862. Cross would be killed the following year at the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. The man with white beard sitting to Cross' immediate right might be his father and the man with a crutch might be one of Cross' wounded comrades. Taken by photographer Franklin White and originally published as a glass stereoview. 

Source: New York Public Library.

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Sunday, July 13, 2025

Photo of a Janitor Named Henry Watts at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania (1862)

Portrait of Dickinson College janitor Henry Watts posing with a number of items including a bucket, broom, anatomical poster, globe, furnace and lantern slide projector in February 1862. He also has a number of keys strung across his chest and is holding his hat in his left hand. Taken by Amateur Photographic Exchange Club member Charles Himes and originally published as a stereoview.

Source: Library of Congress.

More information.

Thursday, July 10, 2025

Photo of a Mormon Settler Covered Wagon Train in Echo Canyon, Utah Territory (1870's)


Photo of a Mormon settler covered wagon train in Echo Canyon, Utah Territory, c. 1870s. A mounted US Army officer is visible in the front of the group at left. A telegraph line is visible in the background. Taken by photographer Charles Carter and originally published as a stereoview.

Source: J. Paul Getty Museum.

 

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Photo of Employees at Work in a Small Stereoview Card Manufacturing Workshop (1860's)



Photo of workers in what looks like a small-time stereoview card manufacturing operation, probably French, c. 1860s. The two people sitting at the table at right appear to be cutting out and gluing albumen prints to cardstock with a bowl of glue in front of the woman and a sample stereoview sheet visible in front of the man. The man at left with wooden boxes is probably getting ready to start (or recently finished) printing some albumen prints from glass negatives affixed to the boxes outside or else in a well-lit room. Originally published as a stereoview.

Source: Library of Congress.