EXHIBITS
Exploring the West in the Golden Age of Photography: William Henry Jackson: A Life in Art
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William Henry Jackson
A Life in Art
William Henry Jackson was arguably the premier Western nineteenth century photographer. Jackson's photographs helped convince Congress to create Yellowstone National Park in 1872 and introduced eastern America and Europe to the landscape of the American West. He took at least 40,000 photographs during his lifetime and lived into his 90s, becoming recognized as a living legend.
Jackson served as an artist during the Civil War and worked afterwards as a bullwhacker driving freight wagons from St. Joseph, Missouri, to the gold mines in Montana.
Jackson opened his own portrait studio with his brother Edward in 1867. In 1869 he photographed construction along the route of the Union Pacific Railroad with Arundel C. Hull.
His photographs of the railroad and his studio portraits of local Native Americans captured the attention of Ferdinand V. Hayden, who asked Jackson to accompany him on his 1870 federal expedition into Utah and Wyoming Territories. Jackson remained with the Hayden Survey until 1878.
