Like many Americans in the final decade of the nineteenth century, residents of East Meredith, New York were fascinated by photography. What once had been the exclusive domain of professional studio photographers became part of everyday life. Many images probably were discarded, not recognized for the value they would hold for succeeding generations. Fortunately, the photographic images of Horace Hanford have survived. His glass plate negatives provide a picture of life in East Meredith over a period of thirty years.
Through most of his years as a photographer, Horace persisted in using glass plate negatives, not switching to flexible film until after World War I. Horace may have preferred glass plates simply because he was most comfortable with them. Considering his fascination with the mechanical aspects of technology, it is also possible that he preferred the demanding manipulations of a view camera to less complicated devices.
Horace’s photographs varied considerably in quality. Only a few exhibit the level of technical skill seen in the work of professional photographers. His subject matter was typical of amateur photography of his day. He photographed new machines, signs of progress, community events, and the people he knew. However, his photographs are more than mere snapshots, and go beyond the capturing of moments. Rather, through his photography, Horace Hanford both documented and participated in his world. Horace’s photographs from the early 1890s reflect his interests of the time. From the vantage point of surrounding hilltops, he photographed East Meredith and the mill complex.
Read more about the collection here.
