Photograph, Canyon landscape

Description

This photograph of a rippled canyon wall was taken by William Abraham Bell in 1867. A small grove of trees is shown in the foreground, with the curving walls of the canyon rising up on all sides and extending into the background. In 1867-1868, the Kansas Pacific Railway Company (originally known as the Union Pacific Railroad Eastern Division) organized an expedition to survey potential railroad routes from Kansas to California. There were two expedition parties sent through Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California led by General William Jackson Palmer (1836-1909). Doctor and amateur photographer William Abraham Bell (1841-1921) and professional photographer Alexander Gardner (1821-1882) were appointed to photograph the expedition. Bell traveled primarily with the expedition along the 32nd parallel ending in San Diego. After the survey, Bell was a prominent businessman in the United States and Colorado. He built and operated the Denver and Rio Grande Railway with Palmer and was involved in many other coal, mining, and business ventures.