An account of the taking of the first picture of Minnehaha Falls in 1852 and its use by Henry Longfellow in writing Hiawatha, [188-?].

  1. Resources
  2. View Resource

ArchivalResource

An account of the taking of the first picture of Minnehaha Falls in 1852 and its use by Henry Longfellow in writing Hiawatha, [188-?].

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/313860183

A handwritten letter by photographer Alexander Hesler, Chicago, to Russell Blakeley, St. Paul in regard to Pioneer Press articles about the inspiration for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, Hiawatha. In his letter, Hesler describes a day (August 15, 1852) spent photographing views around St. Paul and St. Anthony with Joel E. Whitney. One daguerreotype made that day of Minnehaha Falls was later shown to Longfellow and apparently was inspiration for his poem, Hiawatha.

10 leaves.

Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 7316144

Related Entities

There are 3 Entities related to this resource.

Hesler, Alexander, 1823-1895

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6st9621 (person)

Alexander Hesler was one of the most prominent and respected regional photographers of his era. Born in 1823 near Montreal, Hesler spent much of his youth in Quebec and Vermont before moving to Racine, Wisconsin around 1833. He took employment as a clerk but tired of this work and decided, in 1847, to learn the craft of daguerreotype. He journeyed to Buffalo for training and in only ten days became skilled in this first major photographic process. For nearly fifty years beginning in 1848 Hesler ...

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, 1807-1882

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w60863v9 (person)

Poet, from Cambridge (Middlesex Co.), Mass. From the description of Papers, 1859-1874. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 19903002 American author and poet. From the description of A psalm of life, fourth verse, 1850. (Maine Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 274069802 American teacher, translator, and poet. From the description of Letter, Nahant, Mass., to Mrs. T.B. Lawrence, Newport, 1872 July 20. (Boston Athenaeum...

Whitney, Joel E. (Joel Emmons), 1822-1886

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6bk4b2b (person)