M-514 Early St. Louis Glass Plate Photograph Collection

This collection of glass plate negatives depicts scenes of St. Louis at the turn of the 20th century including the construction of the 1904 World’s Fair in Forest Park, the newly built Compton Hill Water Tower, the Cathedral Basilica, the St. Louis School and Museum of Fine Arts and Brookings Hall at Washington University, a variety of farm houses and homes around the city, steamboats along the riverfront, and families enjoying various activities, picnicking, shopping, etc.
St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri-St. Louis

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Photograph of People Walking Through a Park
Photograph of people walking through a park. There is one in the foreground, walking with a hat and cane through a sunny field and a couple walking through the shaded path beyond the middle ground. The trees shade the grass in a line horizontally across the photo. The background is bare of people but has foliage lining the paths.
Photograph of People Watching Construction on the Washington University Campus
This photo shows a man and two children watching construction on the Washington University Campus. The people are watching from a slight distance on a hill that overlooks a field empty besides a wooden structure and building materials. There is a railroad that runs across the image, and a train car sits on it in the middle of the photo. The text on the side says, "New York, Chicago, and St. Louis R.R. 9037". On the left of the photo is Brookings Hall of Washington University. The background has buildings in the distance, and billowing smoke stacks.
Photograph of People in the Distance Walking Through a Park
Photograph of people walking through a leaf ridden park. They are all walking away from the camera through the trees, and they are only on the left of the photo. The rest of the photo is strewn with trees and a dirt path.
Photograph of Railway Workers Walking Among Tracks and Trains
This photograph shows several railway workers and trains among buildings and a large stack that says "Rock Island". There are several trains on the converging rails, and on the left is a grassy field. Two train cars on the front left say "Rock Island System".
Photograph of Saint Louis City from a Roof
Photograph of Saint Louis City from a rooftop. This expansive photograph has storefronts, church spires, and smokestacks. The stores show Becker Glass, Bell Clothing Co., and Browning King & Co. In the background of the photo on the left, there is a view of the river. The middle ground and background are filled with houses, spires, and more smokestacks.
Photograph of Second Presbyterian Church Construction
This photograph is of construction progress on the Second Presbyterian Church in Saint Louis, Missouri. The walls are still relatively short, and there's a hand-controlled crane lifting stone up to the top of the wall to be set in. There's a well-dressed man watching the construction workers from the sidewalk.
Photograph of Several Steamboats and Bridge
Wide photograph of the riverbank and bridge; the Saint Louis and Tennessee River Packet Company, the Consolidated Coal Company, Cape Girardeau and Commerce, and Diamond Line Steamers line the river side. Steamers are docked behind the buildings and there are several boats moving across the water in the background. The foreground has lumber on the bank with people spread across it intermittently.
Photograph of Swans in a Park Pond
This photo shows two white swans on a large pond. One swan is standing on the grassy bank, and the second is moving through the water. There is a non-functioning fountain in the middle, and on the other side of the pond, women walk down the sidewalk. Behind them, are trees and a row of houses.
Photograph of Theater Seats from the Stage
Photograph of empty theater seats taken from the stage. Two people are exiting the theater space through a door on the left, and the balcony cuts across the top third of the photograph.
Photograph of Three People Leaning on a Wooden Railing
Photograph of two women and a man leaning on a wooden railing that lines a dirt path. Beyond the fencing is high grass and a forest. The man is seated on the top of the wooden fence, and the women are leaning with their hands on the fence. The woman standing farthest from the viewer is holding an umbrella. A tree branch arches over the top of the image.
Photograph of Trees Reflected onto Water in a Park
Photograph of trees reflected onto water in a park. Grass contours the body of water on the right side of the photo. The trees lining the grass are reflected on the still water as they lean slightly over it. There are two shadows in the foreground of the photo, and there are trees and benches in the background.
Photograph of Trees and a Statue in a Park
Photograph of trees and a distant statue in a park. There's a pavilion on the right with seated people on park benches. There are few trees in the middle ground, but more in the background near the benches and pavilion.
Photograph of Two Boys in a Park
Photograph of two boys leaning on rocks next to a pond in a park. There are flowers and various other plants around, and trees are on the other side of it. In the background on the left side there is a church, and in the middle background there is a separate building.
Photograph of Two Men and a Horse in a Field
Photograph of two men and a horse in a wide, tree stump and root ridden field. One man is seated on the horse, and the other is standing next to it; both are staring straight at the viewer. Behind the field and the men, is a thick line of trees.
Photograph of Two Women Napping in the Park
Photograph of two women sleeping on a blanket in a park with a hammock hanging between the two trees behind them. Their belongings are scattered at the base of the tree on the left. Besides trees, the background is nothing but sun and shadow.
Photograph of Two Women Standing by a Tree
Photograph of two women standing by a large, misshapen tree near a tall, wooden structure. The two women are dressed similarly in black skirts and lighter tops with hats. Behind the tree and structure are tents and the corner of a building on the right side.
Photograph of Water and a Cliffside
Photograph of water and a quarry cliffside. The foreground of the photo Is taken up by gently rippling water, and directly behind it is a cliffside covered in trees. After a break in the trees, the top of the cliff is tree lined.
Photograph of Woman Standing in Front of World Fair Construction
This photo shows a woman standing on a hill above the site of the 1904 World's Fair construction. There two or three large buildings being constructed behind her among a small amount of trees and grasses. The woman in the photo is looking at the camera.
Photograph of Workers on a World's Fair Construction Site
Photograph of workers on a World's Fair construction site. They are walking away from the camera towards the building, and there are neat piles of lumber and piping to the right of them. The building is almost entirely scaffolding at the time the photo was taken, and the site is tidy. There are trees on the left that cast shadows, but otherwise the photograph's foreground, middle ground, and background are taken up by the workers and structure.
Photograph of World's Fair Construction
Photograph of World's Fair construction. There are two partially built buildings visible in the photograph; one in the middle ground and the other in the left background. Scaffolding covers both buildings, and the foreground is all dirt. There is some wooden material around the building, but it is organized.
Photograph of a Bridge Under Construction
Photograph of a bridge under construction. There's a town in the background over the river, and one of the buildings has a sign that says "Alton Baking & Catering".
Photograph of a Bridge in Forest Park
Photograph of a bridge going over a stream in Forest Park, Saint Louis, Missouri. The bridge has ornate decoration on the sides, and underneath it is the rocky creek bed. Tress are scattered around the background of the photograph.
Photograph of a Carved Decorative Armoire
This photo shows a large, decorative armoire with two painted panels on the doors, The carved wood has various shapes and designs, such as lions, shells, and flowes. On top of the armoire are three armor helmets.The light glare covers the paintings on the right, and the one on the left is of a man surrounded by flowers and other motifs.
Photograph of a Child Standing on the Porch of a Large House
This photograph is of a large, two story house with a fence in front of it. A little girl is standing on the porch directly in front of the door, and there are a number of trees in the small yard. The photo looks as though it was taken from the street outside of the home.
Photograph of a City View with a Smokestack
Rooftop photograph of several other buildings with a cloudy sky, and a smokestack on the right side of the image.
Photograph of a Company Car by the River
Photograph of three people in a company care parked by the river. Two women are sat in the back of the car, and a man is standing next to the car; all smiling. The car windshield has the words "The Artesian Valley Industrial Co." at the top. In the background beyond the river is a tree line of leafless trees.
Photograph of a Composite Photograph of Presidents
Photograph of a newspaper clipping from The Illustrated Buffalo Express that shows a composite photograph of the faces of 10 presidents. The text beneath the photograph reads, "A Study in Profiles: President Theodore Roosevelt and His Cabinet: Composite photograph, copyright 1907, by Clinedinst, Washington, D. C. Left to right, President Roosevelt, Secretaries Root, Straus, Garfield, Metcalf, Cortelyou, Taft, Meyer, Wilson, Bonaparte.
Photograph of a Confederate Statue and Building
This photograph shows a Civil War statue outside of a large, stone building. It is unclear what the building's purpose is, as the text on the windows is illegible. There is an American flag flown from the top of the building.

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