Picturing the West: 1852 lithographs of Salt Lake Valley provide unique look at the past
When the Mormon pioneers moved west in 1847, they had read some accounts written by early explorers and mountain men. Jim Bridger had discovered the Great Salt Lake in 1824, and John C. Fremont's mapping expedition came through in 1843.
But in those days there certainly weren't many pictures.
That changed by mid-century and later, as many explorers began taking along first artists and later photographers, as technology began to develop and improve.
Some of — if not the first — pictures that introduced the valley of the Great Salt Lake to eastern audiences were lithographs printed in connection with the 1849-50 Stansbury expedition to this area.
When my brother found a collection of some of these lithographs, which had been printed in Philadelphia in 1852, in a Kansas antique shop and sent them to me, I was tickled by this early look at the West.
The lithographs are exquisitely done and stand as works of art, but they also offer a lot of insight into the lay of our land. They show the area as it looked to the early pioneers and provide a unique window on the past.
Early assignments included a survey of proposed canals to join Lake Erie and Lake Michigan with the Wabash River; a study of the James River in hopes of improving the Richmond harbor; a survey of the Illinois and Kaskaskia rivers; and a charge of determining the feasibility of a road from Milwaukee to the Mississippi River.
He moved up the ranks of the Topographical Engineers, becoming a captain in 1840. In 1842 he was assigned to do a survey of the harbor of Portsmouth, N.H., which was praised for its detail and accuracy.
In May of 1849, Stansbury was sent to make an exploration and survey of the area around the Great Salt Lake. He was to do a scientific study of the flora and fauna of the area, survey the Great Salt Lake and adjacent regions, check out possible routes for a transcontinental railroad, evaluate various emigration routes and determine the capability of Mormon communities to provide food and supplies for overland travelers (after all, gold had been discovered in California, and already, fortune-hunters were on their way West).
He was joined in his endeavors by his second in command, Lt. J.W. Gunnison; a geologist named Dr. James Blake; and Auguste Archambeau, as guide. And there were apparently some people who could draw: a F.C. Grist and John Hudson, among them.
Recent comments
You can likely get an original (1852) copy of the Stansbury "...
Biblionerd | July 15, 2008 at 7:15 p.m.
Henry, Thank You. I'm sure they will be viewed by many of us....
Thomas | July 15, 2008 at 6:21 p.m.
I don't believe these lithographs are a new find. They have...
Henry Drummond | July 15, 2008 at 2:17 p.m.
