Scenic views showing the Horse Shoe Curve and Pack Saddle along the Pittsburgh Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Views also show locomotives, men posed on rock ledges, including one labeled "Sit Box," railroad tracks, and townscape., Series title printed on mount., Photographer's imprint printed on mount., Three of the series numbered. Collection contains: 341; 517; 703., Two of stereographs inscribed on verso: T.N. Haskill., Gift of Jessy Randall., Created postfreeze., Digitization funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Purviance was commissioned as an official photographer of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1867.
Creator
Purviance, William T.
Date
[ca. 1870]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department stereo - Purviance - Views [P.2005.19.1-4]
Incomplete collection of the series, published by John Moran circa 1863, showing scenic views of the Allegheny Mountains and Conemaugh and Susquehanna rivers along the Pittsburgh division of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The railroad (incorporated in 1846) traveled from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh through the mountain passage known as the "Horse Shoe Curve," completed in 1854. Three views attrtibuted to Moran titled, "Head Waters of the Susquehanna, Cambria Co., PA.," "Kittaning Point, Allegheny Mountains," and "The pass through Jack's Mountain, Huntingdon, Co." included as part of the series., Views depict: the forest at the summit of the Alleghanies; an overlook and rocky valley at Kittaning Point in the Alleghenies; old bed of the Conemaugh River; sand ridge at Mapleton at the foot of Jack's Mountain; views of the head waters of the Susquehanna River in Cambria County, and a canal lock in "Jack's Narrows" on the Juniata River. Three of the views include posed male figures., Cream mounts with square corners., Photographer's label pasted on verso of six views in the series., Six of the series are numbered: No. 237, 244, 254, 259, 260, and 294., Title stamped on mounts., Digitization funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Moran, a Philadelphia photographer, specialized in landscape photography and often took artistic excursions with his painter brothers, Thomas and Edward. He resided at 806 Coates Street between 1862 and 1864.
Creator
Moran, John, 1831-1903
Date
[ca. 1862]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department stereo - Moran - Views [P.8979.10; P.8992.14-19; P. 9462.20; P.9466.15]
Album of photographs documenting the Philadelphia, Middle, and Pittsburgh divisions of the Pennsylvania Railroad, incorporated in 1846. The consolidated company sought to build a trunk route from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh through the Allegheny mountains in order to compete with the Erie Canal for freight traffic. In 1854, rail passage through the Alleghenies via the "Horse Shoe Curve" was achieved and spurred the establishment and growth of the several towns depicted along the route.