View of Chain Bridge over the Potomac River connecting Virginia (area where the bridge ends at left in distance) with Washington, D.C., c. 1860. The two men posing in the rowboat in the foreground might be Peale's photographic assistants or else simply out for a day of fishing. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale. Originally published as a stereoview. This is probably the earliest known photo of the bridge if it was taken before or during the early days of the Civil War.
Engraving of a lost Mathew Brady ambrotype of Arctic explorer Elisha Kent Kane (center) with fellow expedition members after returning to New York City after the Second Grinnell Expedition in October 1855. Originally published on the cover of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper in December 1855.
Original caption: "The Arctic Explorers. Drawn by Wallin. From an Ambrotype by Brady."
"A 60 lb. Columbia River Salmon." Possibly taken by a member of the British North American Boundary Commission in 1861.
Hand-colored view of two wigwams and a bark canoe in a Chippewa Native American camp probably somewhere in Minnesota, c. 1860s. Originally published as a stereoview. According to the back label of the stereoview, it was sold at Martin's Art Gallery in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Portrait of an Winnebago Native American woman with a young child posing in front of a wigwam probably somewhere in Iowa, c. 1860s. Originally published as a stereoview by photography firm Hamilton & Hoyt and attributed to photographer C. L. Hamilton.
View of Peirce Mill (right) and Peirce Barn (building in background) along Rock Creek in Washington, D.C., September 26, 1855. The building between the mill and barn appears to be another barn which is no longer standing today. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.
Portrait of a bartender and customer at an outdoor mixed drinks bar in St. Louis, Missouri, c. 1880s. Originally published as a stereoview.
View of a billiard room building on an unidentified plantation in South Carolina, 1860. Taken by Amateur Photographic Exchange Club member Edward Cottenet and originally published as a stereoview. The only other stereoview taken by Cottenet that I can find online is one that features another large tree with other buildings behind it that was probably taken on the same plantation.
"On the old fortification at Valley Forge." View of a section of Revolutionary War-era fortifications at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, c. 1862. Taken by Amateur Photographic Exchange Club member Samuel Fisher Corlies. Originally published as a stereoview. I think that the trees look to bare for this to have been taken in May as the Library of Congress site states so probably the May date on the card only pertains to the printing date.
View of a unidentified shuttered building in a forested area probably somewhere in the United States, c. 1870-1890. The building was possibly once a two-room schoolhouse considering what looks like two doors at the front of the building. Originally published as a stereoview.
Portrait of attendees and exhibits at the National Fair in the Old Patent Office Building in Washington, D.C., 1864. This seems to have been a smaller and much less well known version of a sanitary fair held in various Northern and Midwestern cities during the American Civil War to raise funds to support Union troops. According to the American Presidency Project, President Abraham Lincoln attended this fair and gave a short speech at it on March 16, 1864. Originally published as a stereoview by Bell & Bro. This is the only photograph of the event I have come across.
Self-portrait of photographer John Moran posing behind a tree, c. 1863. Another unidentified man is posing in the background at right. Originally published as a stereoview.
Carte-de-visite self-portrait of photographer Alexander Gardner dressed as trapper or mountain man and posing with a bow and arrow, c. 1861.
View of scaffolding built for the construction of Cabin John Bridge (also known as the Union Arch Bridge) in Cabin John, Maryland, c. 1859. The bridge was built as part of the Washington Aqueduct project. The dam in the foreground is holding up the waters of Cabin John Creek. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.
Portrait of a group posing in front of the Georgetown University Astronomical Observatory in Washington, D.C., c. 1855-1860. What looks like a Jesuit priest wearing a straw top hat is posing at left. This is probably the earliest surviving photo of the observatory. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.
View of an early wooden pedestrian bridge over the C&O Canal in or near Washington, D.C., c. 1855-1860. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale. A person appears to be sitting under the bridge on the towpath at left.
Portrait of a group posing in front of George Washington's family tomb on the grounds of Mount Vernon in Fairfax County, Virginia, May 13, 1859. What looks to be three black men, possibly enslaved workers at Mount Vernon, are posing directly in front of the tomb's gate. Taken by photographer Titian Ramsay Peale who signed and dated the photo at bottom right.
View of a stretch of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal near Little Falls on the Potomac River close to the Maryland/Washington, D.C., border line, c. 1855-1860. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.
Early view of Washington, D.C., which looks like it was taken from the area in front of Robert E. Lee's Arlington House mansion in Arlington, Virginia, c. 1855-1865. The uncompleted Washington Monument can be seen across the Potomac River on the right. This might be the earliest known photo of the monument. Possibly taken during the early days of the Civil War after Union soldiers occupied the Arlington House property or else during the years leading up to the war. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.
Source: National Museum of American History.
Early photo of Arlington House possibly taken on the same day by Peale.
View of an unidentified street with houses and a what looks like a park in the background in Washington, D.C., c. 1855-1860. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.
Portrait of a group posing in front of George Washington's Mount Vernon mansion in Fairfax, Virginia, c. 1859-1860. What looks like a blurry family can be seen sitting on the lawn in front of the second pillar and a man can be seen looking on at far right. At least two ship masts and two wooden planks can be seen holding up the deteriorated left side of the porch. Attributed to either John Wood or Montgomery Meigs.
Portrait of a man posing in front of H. Burr's house in Washington, D.C., April 1857. An unidentified church is also visible to the left of it in the distance. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.
Early photographic view of the front of Robert E. Lee's Arlington House mansion in Arlington, Virginia, c. 1855-1865. Possibly taken during the early days of the Civil War after Union soldiers occupied the property. This might be the earliest surviving photo of the mansion. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.
View of a dilapidated house and other buildings along G Street in Washington, D.C., c. 1860. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale. The sign on the business to the right of the house appears to identify it as a possible sign-making business.
Portrait of two armed hunters posing in front of a waterfall possibly near Peirce Mill along Rock Creek in Washington, D.C., c. 1855-1860. A third man wearing a top hat in the distance at right is also part of the group. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.
Source: National Museum of American History.
A second photo taken around the same time showing the three men again posing in front of the waterfall.
Portrait of two women posing on a rock along Rock Creek in Washington, D.C., 1857. Attributed to photographer Titian Ramsay Peale.
"President Lincoln's Guard." Photo of a large group of Union soldiers and civilians posing in front of a Union Army encampment probably near the White House in Washington, D.C., 1861. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.
Stereoview portrait of an unidentified photographer with a camera on a tripod taking a photo along Rock Creek in Washington, D.C., c. 1860. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale. The photographer in the photo might actually be Peale himself. The man sitting on the right is also unidentified.
