Photo of a Lost Battle of Lookout Mountain Painting by English Artist James Walker Featuring One of Mathew Brady's Photography Studio Skylights in the Background (1860's)

Photo of a Battle of Lookout Mountain painting by English artist James Walker, c. 1864-1880. The skylight of one of Mathew Brady's studio, probably the one in Washington, D.C., is visible in the background at right. Multiple versions of this painting, all possibly titled "The Battle Above the Clouds", were created by Walker and I am unable to find this particular version of the painting in any collection today. Union general Joseph Hooker is said to be riding the rearing white horse at center left. This flipped and inverted glass negative photo is attributed to Mathew Brady.

Source: National Archives and Records Administration.

More information at Shades of Gray and Blue.

Photo of Lucinda Peale Posing with a Fan in the Backyard of the Peale's Residence Along K Street in Washington DC (1860's)

 

Photo of Lucinda Peale, the second wife of artist Titian Ramsay Peale, posing with a fan in the backyard of the Peale's residence along K Street in Washington, D.C., c. 1860-1865. Taken by Titian Ramsay Peale and originally created as a stereoview. There appears to be another person with crutches or a camera tripod visible at far left.

Source: National Museum of American History.

Early Photo of an Architectural Model of the New US Capitol Dome and the Building's Expanded Wings Designed by Thomas Ustick Walter (1856)

 

Photo of an architectural model of the new US Capitol dome and the building's expanded wings designed by Thomas Ustick Walter, c. 1856. Taken by photographer John Wood and originally published as a stereoview.

Source: J. Paul Getty Museum.

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.

Photo of an Unidentified Hallway in the US Capitol Building in Washington DC (1860's)

 

"Corridor of Capitol, Washington, USA." View of an unidentified hallway in the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., c. 1860s. Originally published as a stereoview.

Source: New York Public Library.

Photo of the Old War Department Building in Washington DC (1860s)

 

View of the War Department building in Washington, D.C., c. 1860s. Originally published as a stereoview by D. Appleton & Company.

Source: New York Public Library.

Early Photo of the US Treasury Building in Washington DC (1856)

 

View of the Treasury Building in Washington, D.C., taken at 4:30 PM on October 14, 1856. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.

Source: National Museum of American History.

Photo of a Large House or Mill Possibly Along Rock Creek in Washington DC (1850s)

View of a large house or mill possibly along Rock Creek in Washington, D.C., c. 1855-1860. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale. An outbuilding is prominently visible at center left.

Source: National Museum of American History.

Photo of a House With Gatehouse in Front Probably Taken in Washington DC (1863)

 

View of a house with a gatehouse in front of it probably taken in Washington, D.C., c. 1863. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale. Originally published as a stereoview.

Source: National Museum of American History.

Photo of a Small Wood and Stone Dam Holding Back a Stream on a Hillside Possibly Along Rock Creek in Washington DC (1850's)

View of a small wood and stone dam holding back a stream on a hillside possibly along Rock Creek (in the foreground) in Washington, D.C., c. 1855-1860. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.

Source: National Museum of American History.

Early Photo of Chain Bridge Over the Potomac River Connecting Virginia With Washington DC (1860)

 

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.

Source: National Museum of American History.

Photo of Peirce Mill and Peirce Barn Along Rock Creek in Washington DC (1855)

 

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.

Source: National Museum of American History.

Photo Portrait of Attendees and Exhibits at the National Fair in the Old Patent Office Building in Washington DC (1864)

 

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.

Source: National Portrait Gallery.

The American Presidency Project link.

Photo of a Group Posing in Front of the Georgetown University Astronomical Observatory in Washington DC (1850s)

 

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.

Source: National Museum of American History.

View of an Early Wooden Pedestrian Bridge Over the C&O Canal in or Near Washington DC (1850s)

 

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.

Source: National Museum of American History.

Photo of a Stretch of the C&O Canal Near Little Falls on the Potomac River (1850s)

 

 

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.

Source: National Museum of American History.

Early Photo of Washington DC Taken From Robert E. Lee's Arlington House Mansion in Arlington, Virginia (1850's/1860's)

 

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 a Park And Houses in the Background in Washington DC (1850s)

 

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.

Source: National Museum of American History.

Portrait of a Man Wearing a Top Hat Posing in Front of H. Burr's House in Washington DC (1857)

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.

Source: National Museum of American History.

View of an Unidentified Stretch of Rock Creek in Washington DC (1850s)

View of an unidentified stretch of Rock Creek in Washington D.C., c. 1855-1860. According to the note written at bottom left, the photo was taken at 6:00 PM on May 20 of an unidentified year. Attributed to Titian Ramsay Peale.

Source.