This exhibit of panoramic photographs is but a small sample of the wide variety of panoramic images in NARA`s still picture holdings located at the National Archives Building at College Park, Maryland. The exhibit photographs date from approximately 1864 until 1937. The vast majority of the collection, however, dates from the World War. This exhibit is based on the exhibit, “The Long View: Panoramic Photography from the National Archives,” which was displayed at the National Archives at College Park from August 15, 1998 through May 1, 2000.
“The Town Square, Arras, France. February, 1919″ This panorama was taken by Fred Schutz of Washington, DC, who was commissioned after World War I to photograph some of the war`s destruction and impact, especially in northern France. The Still Picture Branch has approximately 30 of these views in its holdings. The image may have been taken with a #8 Cirkut, for the image measures 26″ x 8”.
Panoramic view of the Barcelona Exposition, Spain. 1929 The International Industrial Exposition was held in Barcelona from May to December of 1929. The U.S. Government did not have an official presence there, choosing instead the Ibero American Exposition being held in Seville that same year. However, American businesses were present in full force at Barcelona, and the Commerce Department aided with their affairs on site. The photographer and exact date are not specified. The print measures 9″ x 38″.
“Co. H, 347th Inf., Capt. T. R. Mobley Com`d`g. Am. Expeditionary Force. Camp Dix, New Jersey. January 1919″ This photograph was shot by F. C. Lewis of Mount Holly, NJ, and shows unusual creative skill in its composition. It measures 38″ x 8”.
View of soldiers from the 331st Machine Gun Battalion performing exercises at Camp Grant in Rockford, Illinois This panorama was taken by the Duce & McClymonds Studio of Rockford, IL. The date was November 1917, not long before these soldiers pictured were sent off to fight in World War I. It measures 28″ x 10″. Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs – Panoramic Views of Army Units, Camps, and Related Industrial Sites (165-PP-69-9)
“Camp Meigs, Washington, DC. July 20, 1918.” Named in honor of the Union Quartermaster General from the Civil War, Camp Meigs was located at Florida Avenue and Fifth Street, NE, and was used as a training facility for the Quartermaster Corps during World War I. The photo is by H.M. Brown of Washington, DC, and measures 9″ x 44″. Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs
View of Chattanooga, Tennessee from hilltop The photographer and date are unknown, though it was probably taken after the Union Army captured the city in 1864. This is a composite panorama pieced together from three separate images to give a panoramic effect. It is printed on albumen paper. The entire size of the image is 39″ x 10″. Records of the Office of the Chief of Engineers
“Civilian Guards of the National Shipyard; Orange, Texas.” Orange lies on the Sabine River near the Louisiana border. During the World War I era, many wooden-hulled ships were produced there as part of the Emergency Fleet Corporation`s (EFC) mandate to equip the U.S. with a first-rate merchant fleet. The guards pictured were probably contracted by the National Shipbuilding Company to provide security for the area. The photographer and date are not specified. The image is 7″ x 22″. Records of the United States Shipping Board
View of Havana harbor, Cuba, with vessels of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet in the distance The photograph was taken by C. E. Doty. His studio location is unspecified as is the date, though it was probably the early 1910s. The image measures 52″ x 10″. Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs – Panoramic Photographs of Cuba
“Boat Exercises – Naval Training Station, Hampton Roads, Va. September 19, 1918″ Begun as a small training and receiving station in the early 1900`s, the Naval Training Station in World War I would become one of the premier training centers for naval personnel. By Armistice Day in 1918, more than 34,000 men had been assigned there. The photo was taken by G. L. Hall Optical Company of Norfolk. It measures 7 x 57”. Records of the Bureau of Naval Personnel
Ground-level view of the (Mardi ?) excavation, looking south, during the initial construction of the Panama Canal The photographer and date are unknown, but other images from this series, showing similar views, date from around 1909. The image measures 36″ x 10″. Records of the Panama Canal
“President Harding and the National Academy of Sciences at the White House, Washington, DC, April 1921″ Note that Albert Einstein is standing to the left of the President. This group shot was taken by Fred Scut of Washington, DC, one of the most prolific of panoramic photographers. The print size is 38″ x 10”. Records of the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture
Shipbuilders at the Gray`s Harbor Yards of the Grant-Smith-Porter Co., Aberdeen, WA Wooden-hulled vessels for the Emergency Fleet Corporation were constructed here at the Gray`s Harbor Yards in the late 1910s. The ship near completion is the Fort Seward, which was first launched in early 1919, dating the photograph. This panorama measures 7″ x 25″. No photographer was specified. Records of the United States Shipping Board
“View of Washington. Looking East from Washington Monument” (Top) This panorama is dated November 1916 and was taken by the H. W. Brown of Washington, DC. The image could not have been taken with a rotating panoramic camera from inside the monument, so it has been theorized that Mr. Brown was on scaffolding on the outside. This scaffolding had presumably been erected because cleaning or repair work was being performed on the Monument. The image measures 36″ x 10″. Records of St. Elizabeth`s Hospital (418-P) Below the Brown photograph is a comparison photograph taken by Richard Schneider of NARA`s Preservation Branch in January 1996. It was shot through the window on the observation level using a fixed lens camera producing a panoramic effect. It shows some of the many changes that have occurred on the Mall during the past 83 years. The Monument is scheduled for another cleaning and repair work before the end of this century, creating an opportunity for modern Cirkut shots of DC from this vantage point.
“White Trucks in Service at Fort Riley” The White Sewing Machine Company, as it was originally called, manufactured the Standard Class “A” Truck for the U.S. Army during World War I. Trucks bearing the White/GMC name are still being manufactured by the General Motors Corporation. Though not dated, the image is undoubtedly from 1917-1918. The photo was taken by O. M. Holt of Manhattan, KS, and measures 7″ x 63″. Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General
“Wreck of the U.S.S. Maine, June 16, 1911″ The photograph shows the raising and salvage operation of the ship, 13 years after it sank. After the salvage operation was completed, the ship was resunk offshore. The image was taken by the American Photograph Company of Havana, Cuba, and measures 34″ x 9”. Records of the Office of the Chief of Engineers