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 a Park Gate and Houses
Photograph of one of the entrances to Tower Grove Park in Saint Louis, Missouri. The photo is taken from the side of the entrance path and is a wide shot toward the houses behind the gate and fence. Two pillars flank the entrance gate of the park and its dirt road.
Photograph of a Print of Appian Way in Rome
Photograph of a horse drawn vehicle traveling down Appian Way in Rome with ruins in the background.
Photograph of a Print of a Painting of a Lounging Nude Woman
Photograph of a print of the painting "Venus of Urbino" by Titian. The painting shows a woman lounging, a dog sleeping at her feet, and two woman in the room beyond her in the background.
Photograph of a Print of a Photograph of Michelangelo's Moses Sculpture
Photograph of a print of a photograph of Michelangelo's sculpture of Moses. The sculpture is located in the San Pietro in Vincoli, Rome, and is surrounded by elaborately carved marble. Moses is seated, his beard curled around his fingers, and he is looking passively off to the side. His carved clothing is draped over his knees and settles around his feet.
Photograph of a Print of the Painting Titled The Death of Julius Caesar
Photograph of a print of Cabo di Monte's painting titled The Death of Julius Caesar.
Photograph of a Print of the Print Titled The View of the Temple of Neptune
Photograph of a print of the etching The View of the Temple of Neptune by Giovanni Battista Piranesi. The piece depicts the Temple of Neptune with people and livestock working around the building.
Photograph of a Saint Louis Farmhouse
This photograph shows a farmhouse with two people seated out front. A man and a woman sit on either side of a porch support beam. The house has two porches, one of which has a rocking chair on it. Tree branches hang in front of the camera frame and nearly sit in front of the woman's face.
Photograph of a Statue of Alexander Von Humboldt
Photograph of a statue of Alexander Von Humboldt in Tower Grove Park of Saint Louis, Missouri. Two boys stand on either side of the statue's base, leaning on it and posing for the photograph. The statue is in front of a wooded area, with a long road to the right.
Photograph of a Suit of Armor with Shields and Weapons
This photograph is of a suit of armor display that's flanked by multiple types of shields and weapons. Two of the visible shields are the same, and the others are different in shape and design. The weapons are all different in some capacity with the exception of the two protruding from the shoulders of the armor.
Photograph of a Universal Exposition Grand Prize
Photograph of an unawarded Exposition Grand Prize. The prize shows a woman dressed in an American flag with a nude man on the right handing her a torch, and a woman on the left holding a globe. Written on it is, "United States of America Universal Exposition Saint Louis MDCCCCIV Commemorating the Acquisition of the Louisiana Territory The International Jury of Awards Confers A Grand Prize Upon". At the bottom are signatures from those awarding it.
Photograph of a Universal Exposition Grand Prize
Photograph of an unawarded Universal Exposition Grand Prize. There are three people above the text; in the middle is a woman wearing the American flag, holding a torch with the nude man on her right, and on the left is a woman holding a globe. The text says, "United States of America Universal Exposition Saint Louis MDCCCCIV Commemorating the Acquisition of the Louisiana Territory The International Jury of Awards Confers a Grand Prize Upon".
Photograph of a World's Fair Building with a Crowd
Photograph of a completed World's Fair building surrounded by a crowd of people. In front of the building is still under construction.
Photograph of a Young Girl Standing by a Rocky Overhang
Photograph of a girl standing by a rocky overhang on a cliffside holding a hat in her hands. Trees are creating broken shadows on the rocky cliff.
Photograph of an Aerial View of Saint Louis
Photograph of an aerial view of the city of Saint Louis. The view spans across rooftops with smokestacks in the distance, and the river in the background.
Photograph of an Elaborate Building Under Construction
Photograph of an elaborate building under construction. It is unclear whether this building is the same as any other structures photographed in the glass plate negative collection.
Photograph of an Upper Class Suburban Landscape
Street view photograph of large homes in a suburban area. The road bends in the foreground and middle ground of the photo, and trees line the street; covering up the buildings significantly.
Photograph of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, NY
This photo shows the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York. The art gallery is within the boundaries of Delaware Park. The photo is taken from across the street at an angle. Besides foliage and trees, the grounds around the stone structure are empty.
Photograph of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, NY
This photo shows the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York. The art gallery is within the boundaries of Delaware Park. The photo is taken from across the street at an angle. Besides foliage and trees, the grounds around the stone structure are empty.
Photograph of the Altar and Dome of a Church
Photograph down the aisle of a church toward the dome and altar of a church; pews lining the floor of the empty church. Natural light illuminates the church through the stained glass on the dome, and the windows out of frame. Over the altar and on the dome is written: "To Him Be Glory And Dominion Forever and Ever, Amen".
Photograph of the Bandstand in Tower Grove Park
Photograph of the Bandstand gazebo in Tower Grove Park. There's a group of musicians underneath the canopies on the right side of the Bandstand. They are seated with music placed in front of them, plants and statues surrounding the gazebo. Besides the musicians, there is no one else around. There are busts on pillars placed all around the gazebo, and a clean sidewalk leading toward the Bandstand.
Photograph of the Canadian Parliament Building
Photograph of the Eastern Departmental Building courtyard, where several paths converge toward the left side of the photograph. A lion statue watches over the courtyard in the middle ground of the photograph. This building is a Parliament building in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Photograph of the Canadian Parliament Buildings
Photograph of two buildings on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The photograph is taken from the courtyard, leaving the two buildings in the background with an empty middle and foreground.
Photograph of the Canadian Senate Building
Photograph of the Canadian Senate building in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The Senate building is in the background and across the street from where the photograph was taken. Horse-drawn carriages are going down the street parallel to the Senate.
Photograph of the Compton Hill Water Tower
This photograph shows the Compton Hill Water Tower behind a pond with a fountain. Next to the water tower, there's a couple standing among the foliage and rocks. In the foreground, there's a path along the side of the pond and a sign that says, "Keep off the grass". The water tower is tall with a bell-shaped top and a pointed, conical roof next to it.
Photograph of the Construction of the Canadian Senate Building
Photograph of the construction of the Senate of Canada building in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. A river runs across the middle ground of the photo, and there's a bridge on the back left.
Photograph of the Construction of the Palace of Liberal Arts
Photograph of the Palace of Liberal Arts as it is being finished for the 1904 World's Fair. The building has flags lining the top, pillars in pairs connecting the roof to the ground, and there are two rows of tall decorated pillars with fabric strung between them. People are walking around the grounds, viewing the construction as it is completed. This building appears to be the only one in that immediate area.
Photograph of the Construction of the Palace of Varied Industries
This photo shows construction progress on the Palace of Varied Industries for the 1904 World's Fair. The building begins on the right side, stretching back toward the background and turns to the left, ending at the back left of the photo. In the foreground, there's a motionless cart and a bridge over a deep break in the ground. Several people, workers and visitors alike, are around the site as well as materials.
Photograph of the Delaware Park Casino
Photograph of the Delaware Park Casino and surrounding water. The photo was taken over a balcony toward the casino, and to the left of the building is a row of benches leading towards an overlook. Behind the casino and benches are masses of trees.

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