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o/t.. California Gold Rush photos...

7 years ago

Perhaps some of you local to California may be interested in viewing these photos from the 1850's, maybe there's a 'Jesse Hildreth' amongst them?... as most of the men are unknown.. and they are all men shown here..

This exhibition is currently showing at the National Gallery in Ottawa, and these are reprinted in the British newspaper The Guardian..

I have an interest more in the migration across the Plains to get to California/Oregon, rather than what they did on arrival. My favourite book on the subject is 'The Great Platte River Road' by Merrill J. Mattes [1969]... however, I do have a rose in my garden straight from the Gold Rush country, so that's my claim to fame..

Photos from The Guardian

Comments (16)

  • 7 years ago

    What stunning pictures! One of those men looked so much like a young Abraham Lincoln! And the beautiful fabrics the clothes were made out of. Many of them seemed like characters straight out of a historical romance :)

    It's a shame people didn't smile in photographs in those days (because of their teeth). They all look so somber.

    Thanks for sharing this Marlorena!

    User thanked Rosylady (PNW zone 8)
  • 7 years ago

    I really loved these too.

    User thanked Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Love the pics. Every singles one them has no smiles must be hard during those days. I wish they can go into time travel and see laughter, joy to this day and age. I can't imagine living those days. Working from dawn to sunset, super rough.

    6th pic, he looks very calm and seems to me a itsy bitsy smile.

    The first pic looks very relaxing with a pose.

    All the men looks very young, some even young teenagers and a few 20, 21 (maybe) young Prospectors.

    Thank you for sharing.

    Jin

    User thanked Plumeria Girl (Florida ,9b)
  • 7 years ago

    Thank you, Marlorena! The detail and tonalities are remarkable!

    User thanked roseseek
  • 7 years ago

    Glad you liked them too,... I also wondered about the lack of smiles, and perhaps because of their teeth, but maybe just such a tough life going on, they didn't feel like it...

    Jin, yes I agree about that 6th pic... I noticed that too..


  • 7 years ago

    Another reason for the lack of smiles which is common during that period is that they had to hold still for quite some time for the picture to be properly exposed, and it would have been difficult to hold a smile for a longer period of time; it probably would have been a strain.

    User thanked ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
  • 7 years ago

    I noted the hole in one young man's shoe too. These looked like Alaskan guys.

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    What stunning photos! I have spent a lot of time looking through the photographs of my local city and county (rose hunting), none of the ones I have found have such incredible clarity and detail! Most of them are a grainier, more of what I think of as typical photography for the period- or maybe just poorly preserved? Still a lovely window into a different time. I've also read (for what it's worth) that portrait sitting, whether for photographs or paintings, was considered a serious business. Smiles were considered to be rude, and disrespectful to the likely once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm not sure how accurate that information is, but most of the photos I've seen, certainly the local ones, are all pretty much somber faced. ?Some photos I've seen which were "hidden camera" types (Yes even then a thing, if rare) everyone seems pretty average, happy, sad, engrossed in whatever they were doing at the time. I'll try to find the link to these. They are fascinating!!!

  • 7 years ago

    Here we go!

    Hidden camera shots in Oslo, Norway

    Also if anyone else is a historical fashion lover? Gasp! The dresses! So gorgeous!

  • 7 years ago

    Aren't you grateful you don't have to abide by that dress code? LOL!


  • 7 years ago

    Karen, thanks for that, fascinating actually... I do think some of them were aware of what was going on, as they seem to be posing, but I do relate to the ladies with the umbrellas or parasols, as I use one too.. when the sun is out..

    Perhaps they should bring those hats back into fashion...

    Yes I agree about the sombre looks, it seems to have been de rigueur in those days..

    If the only photos anyone saw of us today were our passport photos, you would think much the same wouldn't you..?

  • 7 years ago

    Marlorena, popping in to say that I have missed seeing your posts on the Perennials Forum. :~) I'm not there much either, these days, though. Glad to 'see' you.

    User thanked User
  • 7 years ago

    What evocative pictures! Thank you for posting them, Marlorena

    User thanked Rosefolly z5
  • 7 years ago

    Thanks, I'm glad you found them of interest too...

    Cat, thanks for checking in here, long time no see... I hope your garden is as nice as ever, I'm sure it must be so..

    No, not on Perennials these days, but I do look in from time to time in case you and one or two others have posted anything from their beautiful gardens... great to see you again and I hope you and yours are keeping well...

  • 7 years ago

    Sounds like me! Waiting for the warmth, here. Take care!

    User thanked User
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