Vintage Stereoview: Outdoor Group Portrait

Every Monday we share an image on the Essex on Lake Champlain Facebook page and invite our viewers to play some Vintage Essex Trivia.

Take a look at this old stereoview! We discovered this image in the archives of the New York Public Library. Along with the stereoview image the webpage thankfully gave us a little background information about it which identified the location as being in Essex, NY. The photographer was E. M. (Elbert M.) Johnson (1844-1910), and this particular photograph was taken in approximately 1875.

The stereoview depicts a group (I count 12 people — what about you?) in the outdoors on some rocky ground with a forest in the background. It looks like there might be a body of water to the left — maybe Lake Champlain? The group is probably a family on a day out, perhaps picnicking or possibly on vacation in the area.

There is not much visible for clues to help us identify the exact location, but do you have any guesses? Do you have any insight as to the identities of the people in the photograph?

Please share any thoughts you have in the comments below.

What is a Stereoview?

We’ve shared many stereoviews on the blog, but if this is the first that you are viewing, then you may be wondering– just what is a stereoview? Historically, photographers produced these double image cards to be used with a stereo viewer. The device gave the appearance of 3-D when you looked through it, hence the two mirror images which would line up with each eye to create the illusion.

Share Your Essex Artifacts

If you want to share your old photos of Essex (or brochures; postcards; menus; tickets; any artifact) on the blog please email us at editor [AT] essexonlakechamplain [DOT] com.

Vintage Stereoview: Essex Overlook (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Stereoview: View of Essex from North (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Stereoview: Northern Essex Bay (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Photo: Essex Baptist Church (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Stereoview: Main Street, Essex, NY (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Stereoview: Wilder House (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)

About Katie Shepard

Passionate about reading and writing stories, Katie Shepard enjoys discovering more about her home while writing and editing for Essex on Lake Champlain. Katie graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh in 2011 where she studied English literature, philosophy, and Asian studies. Her first book Essex, New York Architecture: A Doodler's Field Guide was published in 2015.