Photographs
Collection of Ten William Henry Jackson Western Photographs with Five Yosemite Valley Views of Waterfalls
c. 1870s, Historic Western Photograph Archive, Collection of Ten Original William Henry Jackson Photographs, Hayden Survey U.S.G.S., (1) Colorado and (9) Yosemite, average condition is Choice Very Fine to Extremely Fine.
William Henry Jackson (1843-1942) was an American painter, Civil War Battle of Gettysburg veteran, geological survey Photographer and an Explorer famous for his Photo images of the American West. This is an impressive collection of 10 original black and white William Henry Jackson attributed "Western" views of Colorado and Yosemite. "Yosemite" is noted in pencil on several of the smaller photographs, none are actually signed or impressed by the maker, all being on period card mounts. Someone wrote the name Jackson in pencil on the larger image.
The (1) large size Photo measures 6" x 8" on a 8" x 10" card mount showing a railroad train with several passenger cars on tracks running along a deep mountain river gorge with passengers standing outside the cars during a stop.
The nine (9) smaller size Photos each measure about 4 5/8" x 3 5/8" on 6 3/8" x 5 3/8" card mounts and indeed five (5) depict various Waterfall Views of Yosemite, primarily of Yosemite Falls, a couple include the tops of waterfalls and others scenes of their rushing waters. All are in very nice quality for display. (10 Photos).
In 1869 Jackson won a commission from the Union Pacific to document the scenery along the various railroad routes for promotional purposes. When his work was discovered by Ferdinand Hayden, who was organizing a geologic survey to explore the Yellowstone River region, he was asked to join the expedition. The following year, Jackson received a last-minute invitation to join the 1870 U.S. Government Survey (predecessor of U.S. Geological Survey) of the Yellowstone River, and Rocky Mountains, led by Ferdinand Hayden. The Survey took him to such unique and unexplored places as Mesa Verde and Yosemite.
Jackson also was a member of the "Hayden Geological Survey" of 1871 which led to the creation of Yellowstone National Park. Painter Thomas Moran was also part of the expedition, and the two artists worked closely together to document the Yellowstone region. Jackson was in a position to capture the first photographs of legendary landmarks of the West. His remarkable photographs played an important role in convincing Congress in 1872 to establish Yellowstone National Park, the first National Park of the U.S.. Jackson's work for the U.S.G.S. ended in 1878. He continued to work in the West, opening a studio in Denver, Colorado, returning to portrait photography as well as documenting railroad construction to mining towns in the Rockies.
William Henry Jackson (1843-1942) was an American painter and photographer, famous for his photographs of the American West. In 1867 he took up photography in Omaha, Nebraska, and from that time until 1878, he established his fame photographing American Indians and western scenes. Sometime after 1878 he established a studio in Denver, CO and in the years afterwards produced a huge inventory of American and international images.
In 1869 Jackson won a commission from the Union Pacific to document the scenery along the various railroad routes for promotional purposes. When his work was discovered by Ferdinand Hayden, who was organizing a geologic survey to explore the Yellowstone River region, he was asked to join the expedition.
The following year, he got a last-minute invitation to join the 1870 U.S. Government Survey (predecessor of U.S. Geological Survey) of the Yellowstone River and Rocky Mountains led by Ferdinand Hayden. He also was a member of the Hayden Geological Survey of 1871 which led to the creation of Yellowstone National Park.
Painter Thomas Moran was also part of the expedition, and the two artists worked closely together to document the Yellowstone region. Hayden's surveys (usually accompanied by a small detachment of the U.S. Cavalry) were annual multidisciplinary expeditions meant to chart the largely unexplored west, observe flora (plants), fauna (animals), and geological conditions (geology), and identify likely navigational routes, so as official photographer for the survey, Jackson was in a position to capture the first photographs of legendary landmarks of the West. These photographs played an important role in convincing Congress in 1872 to establish Yellowstone National Park, the first national park of the U.S.
His involvement with Hayden's survey established his reputation as one of the most accomplished explorers of the American continent. Among Hayden's party were Jackson, Moran, geologist George Allen, mineralogist Albert Peale, topographical artist Henry Elliot, botanists, and other scientists who collected numerous wildlife specimens and other natural data.