Lewis, Elias, Jr., 1820-1894

George Bradford Brainerd (also spelled Brainard; 1845-1887) was a civil engineer, an amateur photographer, and an amateur natural historian. Brainerd was born on November 27, 1845 in Haddam Neck, CT. He attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. from which he graduated in 1865. As a civil engineer, Brainerd worked for the then-City of Brooklyn in the position of Deputy Water Purveyor--a position he held for 17 years (1869 to 1886). During this time, Brainerd published the 48-page book, The Water Works of Brooklyn (1873).

Brainerd's work as an amateur photographer began when he was just 13 years old. He began by making his own cameras and developing ambrotypes from them. While working as a civil engineer, Brainerd photographed public work projects, as well as street scenes in Brooklyn. He also took extensive photographs of areas in New York State, including on Long Island and along the Hudson River. His subjects included houses, churches, mills, railroad stations, gate houses, reservoirs, harbors, beaches, and ponds, among others. Over the years, Brainerd continued to design his own cameras and photographic techniques. Through his inventions, he was able photograph the human vocal organs thus contributing to the perfection of this type of medical photography. As an amateur natural historian, he amassed a large collection of bird skins, shells, and minerals, as well as maintained his own herbarium, and collected moss and lichens.

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