Kansas Historical Quarterly

A Photographic History
of Early Kansas[1]

Robert Taft

     To be specific, the photographs available in the Kansas Historical Society as important historic evidence are practically unknown, even among professional historians. The particular object of this paper is not to present an exhaustive photographic history of the state, however, but to call attention to such material as it exists and to emphasize the importance of the photographic method of recording history and the value of adding similar material by donations from interested individuals who possess photographs of historic value.

     The development of American photography may be briefly outlined by the following chronology:

Sept. 21, 1839 The beginning of photography in America[2]
1840-1860 The era of the daguerreotype, or photographs on silvered copper.
1849 The introduction of photography on glass.
1853 The beginning of commercial wet-plate photographyin the United States.
July 4 and 11, 1854 Issuance of patents to J. A. Cutting, covering the ambrotype.

     From this table it is apparent that it would have been possible to have a complete photographic record of the development of our state from the early 1850's down to the present. A preliminary search for photographs of the 1850's and 1860's shows that photographs of individuals and scenes important in the development of the state have been made. How many are existent to-day is another question.

     The earliest photographs taken in Kansas, which I have found mentioned as yet, were those made by S. N. Carvalho on Col. John C. Fremont's expedition of 1853 and 1854. Carvalho described his experiences with this expedition in a discursive book, Incidents of Travel and Adventure in the Far West, published by Derby and Jackson, New York, 1859. According to Carvalho, the first photographs of this expedition were made "near Westport, a few miles in the interior," on September 17 or 18, 1853. Whether "the interior" referred to lay in Kansas or Missouri is uncertain. If it were in Kansas the dates mentioned above may mark the beginning of photography in Kansas. In addition, it is interesting to note that, if this locality lay in Kansas, on these dates, without doubt, the first photographic contest in the state took place. It appears that Colonel Fremont had given a Mr. Bomar, also a "photographist," permission to accompany the expedition at least as far as Westport. Bomar made his photographs on waxed paper negatives, according to a process developed by the Englishman, Talbot. Carvalho secured his photographs as daguerreotypes. Fremont requested that at Westport both types of photographs be made so that he could choose between the processes. According to Carvalho, "In half an hour from the time the word was given my daguerreotype was made; but the photograph could not be seen until the next day, as it had to remain in water all night, which was absolutely necessary to develop it." Since much water and time were necessary for the paper negatives, Fremont decided to leave Mr. Bomar and his outfit at Westport, and Carvalho was chosen to accompany the expedition westward.

     From the discussion it is evident that a number of daguerreotypes were made in Kansas by Carvalho. Unfortunately, although I have made an extended search, none of these daguerreotypes or their photographic copies appear to be extant to-day. They were probably destroyed by the fire in which the Fremonts lost many of their personal effects, as described by Mrs. Fremont in the introduction to Colonel Fremont's memoirs.

     There are records of daguerreotypists working in Kansas slightly after this date. Among these may be mentioned Rankin,[3] Needles,[4] Barker and Gregg[5] of Leavenworth, Boles and DaLee[6] of Lawrence, and Hathaway,[7] of Weston, Mo., all of wham practiced before 1860.

     Surviving portrait daguerreotypes and ambrotypes made by these men in this period (1854-1860) are much more common than are photographs of views or incidents. Among the latter class there are two outstanding in the collections of the Kansas Historical Society. The first of these is a daguerreotype view of a Free State battery, taken at Topeka in 1856.[8] The daguerreotype, when found by the writer, was in a badly corroded condition, but by chemical treatment was restored so that it now constitutes an interesting and valuable historic record.

     The photograph shows the cannoneers, their tent, ammunition and considerable landscape. This daguerreotype, I believe, is the earliest Kansas photograph in the collection of the Historical Society.

     The second photograph, previously referred to, is an ambrotype of the Doy rescue party.[9] This was made at Lawrence, in the summer of 1859, by A. G. DaLee.[10]

That other view photographs of this period were made cannot be questioned. For example, Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper

for October 4, 1856, contains two woodcut prints of Kansas interest stated to have been copied from daguerreotypes. The first of these is a group of Free State prisoners, including Gov. Charles Robinson and John Brown, Jr., among others, which is stated to have been copied from a daguerreotype made for Mrs. Robinson. The second shows a broad panorama of Kansas landscape and is entitled "U. S. Troops, near Lecompton, Kansas, Guarding Free State Prisoners, from a daguerreotype made expressly for this paper." The originals of both of these valuable daguerreotypes, if still in existence, would be a welcome addition to the records of the Kansas Historical Society.

     During the sixties of the Civil War I have little information as yet of photographic interest. The number of photographers in the state was doubtless increasing, and many photographs were doubtless taken, of which some surely have survived. The only one with which the writer is familiar is a view of Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, in the early sixties. It is of considerable interest, as it shows an emigrant train, pulled by the familiar oxen of the period, headed west through the main street of the town. This photograph is well known in the state as it was reproduced lithographically in postcard form some twenty-five or thirty years ago.

     The development of western railroads at the close of the Civil War naturally focussed attention upon the West and its appearance, and demand was made for authentic photographs of this portion of the country. As a result, a number of photographers came west. I will describe the work of only one of these photographers, as it is of especial interest to Kansans.

     The photographer in question was Alexander Gardner of Washington, D. C. Gardner was a Scotchman brought to this country in the fifties by Mathew B. Brady, without doubt the most widely known photographer this country has produced.

     Gardner achieved considerable reputation in his own right. as a photographer and in 1863 opened his own gallery in Washington, D. C., and is probably best known from several excellent photographs of Lincoln.[12] Gardner also followed the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War.[13]

In 1868 Gardner came west[14] and obtained a number of photographs along the Union Pacific, Eastern Division,[15] which at that time was under construction in Kansas.

The Kansas Historical Society is fortunate enough to possess a fairly complete set of these photographs in the form of stereographs, the individual prints of which are approximately three inches square. Gardner, however, as was quite common in the expeditionary photography of that day, also made larger photographs (8" x 10" and 11" x 14", see Reference 14) in addition to the stereoscopic views. It is unfortunate that none of these are in the archives of the Society.

As these Gardner photographs depict towns, scenes and institutions of this state some sixty-five years ago they constitute an exceedingly important set of historical documents. In fact, the writer regards this set as the most valuable, historically, of all the fifteen thousand photographs possessed by the Kansas Historical Society.

While nearly the entire set deserves reproduction in some form in which they could become better known to the citizens of the state, the expense of such an undertaking is at present prohibitive. In lieu of such reproduction the writer has compiled a detailed catalogue of the Gardner set, so that the set may become better known. While it is realized that a catalogue is not exciting reading, yet I venture to say that if anyone interested in Kansas history reads the entire compilation he will be astonished to find that such photographs exist, and a desire will be created to see the actual prints themselves. In the event that the reader is fortunate enough to view these series it is recommended that they be examined stereoscopically. The stereoscope produces a sense of perspective and reality that the flat prints do not possess. In addition, stereoscopic

examination eliminates in a considerable measure many of the defects, both photographic and mechanical, which the prints possess.

The collection numbers some 150 different views. They all bear, on the reverse side from the prints, the following information: "From Gardner's Photographic Art Gallery, 511 Seventh street, Washington. Across the Continent on the Union Pacific Railway, Eastern Division." In addition, they bear a serial number, the title, and a distance expressed in miles "west of St. Louis, Mo." The catalogue given below gives Gardner's serial number (all are called by Gardner, "Class D"), the title with Gardner's spelling, and the number of miles west from St. Louis, which for the sake of brevity is expressed simply as the number of miles. This series of stereoscopic views was acquired by purchase by the Kansas Historical Society in 1930 from Miss Crete Rose, of Lanham, Md. Miss Rose stated that this set of views had been in her family since her father's childhood.

No.	Title	Mi. west of St. Louis
8.	State Line Hotel, Kansas.	264
9.	Railbridge Across Kansas River at State Line, Kansas	284
10.	Great Bend, Missouri River at Wyandotte, Kansas	286
11.	Farm House, Near State Line, Kansas	286
12.	Hotel de Dutton, State Line, Kansas	284
13.	Wyandotte, Kansas	286
14.	Railroad Shops, Wyandotte, Kansas	286
15.	Railroad Yard at Wyandotte, Kansas	286
16.	Office, U. Pacific Railway Co., E. D. Wyandotte, Kansas	...
16 1/2	Same Title as 16 (different view)	...
17.	Building Bridge across the Kaw at Wyandotte, Kansas	286
18.	View on Kansas River, near Wyandotte, Kansas	286
18 1/2.	J. M. Webster and Family, Wyandotte, Kansas	...
19.	Steamer Mary McDonald at Wyandotte, Missouri River, Kansas	286
21.	View on Kansas River at Turnpike Bridge near Wyandotte, Kansas	287
22.	View at Stranger, Kansas	311
23.	Indian Farm in Delaware Reservation, Kansas	311
24.	View on Kansas River in Delaware Reservation, Kansas	...
25.	Depot, Lawrence, Kansas	323
26.	Crandall House at Depot, Lawrence, Kansas	...
27.	Turnpike Bridge Across Kansas River at Lawrence, Kansas	...
28.	View Looking Across Turnpike Bridge at Lawrence, Kansas	...
29.	View on Kansas River from Below Bridge at Lawrence, Kansas	...
30.	Looking down Kansas River from Turnpike Bridge at Lawrence, Kansas	...

No.	Title	Miles from St. Louis
31.	View of Darling's Mills, Lawrence, Kansas (Cattle in foreground)	...
32.	Leavenworth, Lawrence, and Galveston R. R. Bridge across Kansas River, Lawrence, Kansas	...
33.	View Looking up Kansas River Towards General Dietzler's House.	...
34.	Massachusetts Street, Lawrence, Kansas (Cattle in foreground)	...
341/2.	Same Title as 34 (different view)	...
35.	Eldridge House, Lawrence, Kansas	...
36.	Lawrence, Kansas. From Mount Dread	...
37.	Lawrence, Kansas, from Fort Union. State University on the left	...
37.	Lawrence, Kansas, from Fort. State University on the Left. (Same number as above but different view.)	...
38.	State University, Lawrence, Kansas	...
39.	Fort Union, Lawrence, Kansas	...
39.	Same title and number as above but different view	...
40.	General J. Lane's House, Lawrence, Kansas	...
41.	House and Well Where Jim Lane Shot Capt. Jenkins, Lawrence, Kansas	...
42.	Waukerusa Valley Looking East from Mount Dread, Lawrence, Kansas	...
43.	Waukerusa Valley (Blue Mount in Distance) from Fort. Lawrence, Kansas	...
44.	View in Waukerusa Valley, Kansas	...
45.	Fort Scott Road from Mount Dread, Lawrence, Kansas	...
46.	View Looking Northwest from Mount Dread, Lawrence, Kansas . . . . . . .	...
47.	Cattle Grazing on Mount Dread, Lawrence, Kansas	...
48.	Depot, Leavenworth, Kansas.	...
49.	Leavenworth, Kansas	...
50.	Government Farm, Leavenworth, Kansas	309
51.	Fort Leavenworth, Kansas	...
52.	Fifth Street, Leavenworth, Kansas	...
53.	Delaware Avenue, Leavenworth, Kansas	...
54.	Catholic Cathedral, Leavenworth, Kansas	309
55.	Public School, Leavenworth, Kansas	...
56.	View on Top of Pilot Knob, Leavenworth, Kansas	...
57.	View from Pilot Knob, Leavenworth, Kansas	...
58.	View in Salt Creek Valley, near Leavenworth, Kansas	309
59.	View on Amphitheatre Road, Leavenworth, Kansas	...
59 1/2	Photographic Outfit	...
60.	Moore's Summit, Kansas, on Branch Road Between Lawrence and Leavenworth	309
61.	View Embracing 12 Miles of Prairie from Moore's Summit, on Branch Road Between Lawrence and Leavenworth	...
62.	View from Moore's Summit on Branch Road Between Lawrence and 63	...
63.	View of Prairie from Moore's Summit	...
64.	Cattle Yard at Moore's Summ	it
66.	Depot Tonganoxie on Branch Road Between Lawrence and Leavenworth	309
67.	Tonganoxie on Branch Road	...

115.	Loading Cattle at MacCoy's Stockyard, Abilene, Kansas	...
116.	Prairie Dog Town, Abilene, Kansas	...
117.	The Mayor of Prairie Dog Town, Abilene, Kansas	...
119.	Prairie Dog at Prairie Dog Town, Abilene, Kansas	...
120.	Hotel and Depot, Salina, Kansas	...
121.	Salina, Kansas	...
122.	Section Men at Salina, Kansas (The extreme distance is five miles off)	...
123.	Trestle Bridge near Fort Harker, Kansas	...
124.	Fort Harker, Kansas	...
125.	View at Fort Harker, Kansas	...
126.	Ranche at Clear Creek, Kansas (Formerly an overland stage station) 498	...
127 1/2.	Group with Tame Elk at Ranch on Clear Creek, Kansas	...
127.	Same title as 127, slightly different view	...
128.	Workmen's Ranch on Alum Creek, Kansas	...
129.	Devil's Bake Oven on Alum Creek, Kansas (Seven miles east of Fort Harker, Kansas)	496
130.	Mushroom Rock on Alum Creek, Kansas	496
131.	View at Mushroom Rock on Alum Creek	...
132.	View of Mushroom Rock on Alum Creek	...
133.	Mushroom Rock on Alum Creek	...
134.	Indian Cave on Mulberry Creek, Kansas	494
135.	Picnic at Indian Cave on Mulberry Creek	...
136.	Inscription Rock at Indian Cave	...
137.	The Escort at Indian Cave	...
138.	Indian Hieroglyphic Rock on Smoky Hill River, Kansas (15 mi. northeast of Fort Harker)	496
139.	Depot, Ellsworth, Kansas	508
140.	Ellsworth, Kansas	...
141.	North Side of Main Street, Ellsworth, Kansas	...
142.	South Side of Main Street, Ellsworth	...
143.	Walnut Street, Ellsworth	...
144.	Cattle Fording the Smoky Hill River at. Ellsworth, Kansas, on the Old Santa Fe Crossing	...
145.	Bull Train Crossing the Smoky Hill River at Ellsworth, Kansas	...
146.	Hays City, Kansas	580
147.	Fort Hays, Kansas	...
148.	U. S. Express Overland Stage Starting for Denver from Hays City, Kansas	...
149.	View on the Plains, Six Miles West of Fort Hays, Kansas	586
150.	View on the Plains, Kansas	585
151.	Construction Train West of Fort Hays, Kansas	...
152.	"Westward, the Course of Empire Takes its Way," Laying Track 600 miles west of St. Louis, Mo	...
153.	View at Hays City, Kansas	580

fact, a detailed discussion of each picture and the ramifications it suggests would eventually lead to an exhaustive history of the state in 1868. The opportunity, however, is too good to be passed over completely, and, accordingly, a few will be selected for such comments as occur to the author.

In the first place, it is evident that Gardner did not confine himself to his trip along the main line of the Union Pacific, E. D., alone. Side trips to Leavenworth and the country between Leavenworth and Lawrence (Nos. 48 to 71) ; to Lecompton (Nos. 76 to 81) ; as well as the excursions from Fort Harker (Nos. 129 to 138), are the most noticeable of these.

In addition it is quite evident that Gardner viewed the country with the eyes of an easterner. His titles suggest this many times for the broad sweep of prairie and plain evidently impressed him. For example, "View embracing twelve miles of prairie," etc. (No. 61), and the comment "The extreme distance is five miles off" (No. 122) show this quite clearly.

The animals of the country, prairie dogs especially, attracted his attention, for he made a number of attempts to photograph them at Abilene (Nos. 116 to 119) ; the unusual geologic and archaeologic ffeatures near Fort Harker (Nos. 129 to 138) were also of interest.

To the student of the cattle trade (No. 115) "Loading Cattle at MacCoy's Stockyard, Abilene," should be of interest; to the student of railroads many are of interest. Number 32, for example, shows an engine and coal car of the Leavenworth, Lawrence, and Galveston R. R., with a group of men. A close examination of the coal car (better, "wood" car) shows that "Ottawa" is printed in large letters. Apparently it was so called in honor of the town of Ottawa, as this road between Lawrence and Ottawa was opened to travel January 1, 1868.[16]

Of photographic significance we have numbers 28, 591/2, and 1041/2, all of which, in addition to other points of interest, show Gardner's dark room. Gardner, of course, employed the wet process for making his negatives. Consequently, along with all other photographers of this period, he carried his dark room with him, as it was necessary to prepare the plates immediately before use, 'to expose them while still wet (hence the name "wet process") and to develop them before they became dry-quite a different story from our modern procedure. Exposures were also much longer

than are required for modern photographic materials, 5 to 30 seconds probably being required for his wet plates. The slow speed of the negatives is apparent in the movement of figures during the course of exposure in quite a number of the prints.

One further observation of these photographs must suffice. A comparison of the photographs of the main streets of Leavenworth, Lawrence and Topeka (Nos. 53, 34, and 86) show visually, as is already well known, the relative development and size of these towns. The population data[17] given below supplement this visual information.

Date	Leavenworth	Lawrence	Topeka
1860	7,429	1,645	759
1870	17,873	8,320	5,790
1880	16,546	8,510	15,452
1890	19,768	9,997	31,007

It would be extremely interesting and instructive if there were available photographs of such Kansas localities as the Gardner series taken at more or less regular intervals. Such photographs show not only the structural and social development of the towns of the state, but also depict in unmistakable manner the growth of physical features. For instance, the writer possesses a series of four photographs (taken from approximately the same location) over a span of sixtyfive years, which show in a most remarkable manner the growth of trees in Lawrence. The first of these is a view of the town of Lawrence taken by Gardner in 1868 (No. 36) and shows the town as practically treeless.

The second of the series, taken by W. H. Lamon of Lawrence, some ten or twelve years later shows young trees well started. The third (photographer unknown) taken about 1890 shows the further growth of the trees and the last taken in the summer of 1933 from the same locality shows little but a sea of leaves and branches.

In my judgment it would be extremely worthwhile to seek other photographs showing similar developments. There are other photographs of the period with which I have been dealing probably existent. For example, Dr. William A. Bell and Maj. A. H. Calhoun, of Washington, made a series of photographs along the Union Pacific through Kansas in 1867,[18] Robert Benecke[19] of St. Louis was over the same ground, taking a number of 8 x 10 views in 1874;

W. H. Lamon,[20] of Lawrence, photographed extensively over the. eastern part of the state in the sixties, seventies and eighties; probably the most widely known of the early Kansas photographers was Capt. J. Lee Knight,[21] of Topeka, who apparently ranged over the entire state, and even west into Colorado, taking a large number of views during the early seventies.

In the last place, the suggestion might be made that even though we have an incomplete photographic record of the state at present, it would be possible to assemble representative Kansas views of several hundred photographs at periods of, say, ten years, thus preserving in authentic and facsimile fashion evidence of changes in the state. Such photographs, to be of the greatest comparative value, should be taken from the same location, should be dated, the subject inscribed, and catalogued.

Notes