Jacksonville’s Photographic History
DaVinci’s theory of the camera was documented in his sketch books along with other famous inventions. Some 270 drawings of the camera idea were in his sketchbooks.
One of the oldest camera photos of all time his of a view from a window in Le Gras, France in 1826. The portrait is now in public domain. One of the first documented photos in the United States of America was a self portrait of Robert Cornelias in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1839. This photo is also in public domain.
Just as an aside of information, the first uploaded photograph was by the founder of the internet, Tim Berners Lee on July 18, 1992.
It appears that the first President of the United States to be photographed was that of John Quincy Adams in 1843 in his Massachusetts’ home. This was taken only 4 year after the daguerreotype method was invented. There have been only 3 photographs of him known and one was reported by the Associated Press as being found in an antique shop which was believed to be taken in 1843 as his diary entry said on August 1, 1843, The photos themselves, however, he deemed “hideous” and “too true to the original.”) This is also the photo known to be found in an antique shop and bought for .50 cents. The photo below was believed to be taken around the same time.
Interestingly, it was John Quincy Adams to whom a letter for Jacksonville’s territorial request was sent but the petition denied. In August of 1822 however, Duval County was established and William Duval placed a ferry crossing the St. Johns River which led to the town charter for Jacksonville in 1832. I guess that photo found had not even been taken at that time.
Based on documentation at the Library of Congress, photographs in Jacksonville, Florida seem to appear first in 1864 when photographer, Sam A. Cooley from the 10th Army Corps was in town to photograph the Civil War situation.
Noted film actor, Robert Vignola was a part of film history in a photograph documented in Jacksonville and in acting as well. According to the JHS, he came to Jacksonville in 1908.
Through the years, Jacksonville has had many historic photographs documenting the lives of its people, places and things. Are you a photographer? Do you have any interesting photos to share?
See you tomorrow,
Sources: Library of Congress, Wikipedia, Wikicommons, Jacksonville Historical Society, Florida Memory
