Yes, please do. Even though the Connecticut River area wasn’t attracting photographers the way the White Mountains were, I’d still be surprised if no one photographed it in stereo during the early years. It’s a classic tunnel.
I have an albumen photograph of a house in Brattleboro taken by a guy named Lucius H. Cathan. Have you come across anything by him? Seems I recall reading that he was active in Windham County in the 1860’s and that he did create some stereroviews. Whether he traveled upriver to your area I do not know.
I hadn’t heard of him, so I did a little searching online. He may have lived in Townsend. The Townsend Historical Society has a couple of photos labeled Cathan Family Garden, but no mention of Lucius specifically. If you go to this page and scroll down to his name, you’ll see that he was a daguerreotypist in Boston for a while, c. 1849-51. He certainly qualifies as an early photographer!
Thanks– I really like that view of his family on the green mount, a lovely early image. And now that you mention it, I do recall reading a few years ago that he’d been trained in Boston as a daguerrean. Another link I just found indicates that he was photographing railroads: http://dlib.nyu.edu/findingaids/html/nyhs/cathan/dscref33.html
Perhaps he made it to the tunnel. 🙂
I agree (on both counts). If I get a chance later, I’ll try to make a quick scan of the print I own and share it here at this thread. Thanks for your interest!
This is the Cathan photograph from my own collection. It’s an albumen print (I’m guessing from around 1870); an 8.5″ x 5.25″ boudoir card. Handwritten on the back: “Annie B…Grandma Moore…Emma Green…Jerry Green.” And in a different hand: “Brattleboro VT.”
Fantastic photo! With all those names, it should be possible to identify the house. I’ll reach out to the Bellows Falls Historical Society later today.
It would be great to know who they were and the location of the home! I know Brattleboro pretty well and I don’t think that mountain is Wantastiquet. It would also be interesting if the historical society has more details about Cathan.
JOHN TODARO PHOTOGRAPHY 
Wonderful shot of the tunnel! It was built in 1851, and is much admired by local history buffs.
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Thanks Brad! I haven’t researched it– do any 1860-1880 stereoviews of the tunnel exist?
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That’s a great question. I haven’t seen one, but they must. If I come across one online, I’ll put a link here.
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Yes, please do. Even though the Connecticut River area wasn’t attracting photographers the way the White Mountains were, I’d still be surprised if no one photographed it in stereo during the early years. It’s a classic tunnel.
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Your comments make me realize how little I know about early photographers in this area!
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I have an albumen photograph of a house in Brattleboro taken by a guy named Lucius H. Cathan. Have you come across anything by him? Seems I recall reading that he was active in Windham County in the 1860’s and that he did create some stereroviews. Whether he traveled upriver to your area I do not know.
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I hadn’t heard of him, so I did a little searching online. He may have lived in Townsend. The Townsend Historical Society has a couple of photos labeled Cathan Family Garden, but no mention of Lucius specifically. If you go to this page and scroll down to his name, you’ll see that he was a daguerreotypist in Boston for a while, c. 1849-51. He certainly qualifies as an early photographer!
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Thanks– I really like that view of his family on the green mount, a lovely early image. And now that you mention it, I do recall reading a few years ago that he’d been trained in Boston as a daguerrean. Another link I just found indicates that he was photographing railroads: http://dlib.nyu.edu/findingaids/html/nyhs/cathan/dscref33.html
Perhaps he made it to the tunnel. 🙂
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He must have come to Bellows Falls at some point! The collection at the New York Historical Society sounds really interesting.
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I agree (on both counts). If I get a chance later, I’ll try to make a quick scan of the print I own and share it here at this thread. Thanks for your interest!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is the Cathan photograph from my own collection. It’s an albumen print (I’m guessing from around 1870); an 8.5″ x 5.25″ boudoir card. Handwritten on the back: “Annie B…Grandma Moore…Emma Green…Jerry Green.” And in a different hand: “Brattleboro VT.”
LikeLike
Fantastic photo! With all those names, it should be possible to identify the house. I’ll reach out to the Bellows Falls Historical Society later today.
LikeLike
It would be great to know who they were and the location of the home! I know Brattleboro pretty well and I don’t think that mountain is Wantastiquet. It would also be interesting if the historical society has more details about Cathan.
LikeLiked by 1 person