Gardner, Alexander

Photographer Alexander Gardner (1821-1882), a native of Paisely, Scotland, was one of the first of his profession to photograph Northern Arizona and the Mohave Indian tribe. From 1858-1863, before his westward excursion, he supervised Matthew Brady's Washington, D.C. gallery, but broke with Brady over a question of policy. Gardner believed that all photographers should receive credit and pay for their own work, not "give" that work to another without due recognition. Brady did not share this idea.

Gardner became noted for his Civil War photographs, his western scenes, and was among those allowed to photograph the hanging of the Lincoln Conspirators.

Social reform and cooperative societies had been an ongoing interest of Gardner, and in his later life he left photography to pursue these areas. He became secretary of the Masonic Mutual Life Insurance Association, an organization dedicated to helping widows and orphans. He was also active in trying to reduce insurance premiums and in eliminating fraudulent insurance practices. He died in December of 1882, still an active advocate for honesty in business.

These photographs were taken by Gardner while working with the survey team commissioned to investigate a proposed route to extend the Union Pacific Railway along the 35th parallel, 1867-1868. In the original portfolio, which Gardner titled "Across the Continent on the Kansas Pacific Railroad," there were 127 photographs. Although there are several partial portfolios still available to researchers, no complete collection of this work is known to remain.

From the guide to the Alexander Gardner Collection, 1867-1868, (Cline Library. Special Collections and Archives Department)