Picturing A. J. Russell. Tintype by an unknown photographer. Courtesy of the Oakland Museum of California.

The next few pages will highlight seven different photographers who created significant visual collections and who exemplify this golden age of photography.

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Andrew J. Russell photographed the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1868 and 1869. He is best known for taking the famous “East and West Shaking Hands” photograph at the Golden Spike Ceremony on May 10, 1869.

Presumably Russell with his large-format camera, near Green River, Wyoming. Cropped stereo-view possibly by an unknown assistant photographer. Courtesy of the University of Iowa.

Russell, however, took nearly 1,000 images. Many of them show the progress of cuts, fills, bridges, and railroad utility buildings being made (as he was likely updating the directors of the railroad on the progress of the line).

He also focused on the laborers building the railroad––unusual for his day––almost as if to remind us who actually did the hard work of constructing a railroad through 1,000 miles of what was then rough and wild land.