The photo was long considered lost by historians until John
Carter found it on eBay in 2008. Purchasing a rare artifact
that way was still enough of a novelty that the story made
minor headlines nationwide.
"So why did Savage bother?" Carter asked in a Nebraska
History magazine article published later that year.
"Photographers, especially then, did not photograph for
posterity. Rather, they made photographs to sell." And by
then, Salt Lake City was a well-established capital filled with
people who shared the experience of that difficult overland
journey. "Savage knew his market well and, I suspect, found
eager customers for his wares. His photographs were, in fact,
the visual narrative of their experience, their journey to the
Promised Land."
As it turned out, 1866 was the last really big year of the
Platte Valley route. Three years later, Savage made his
most famous photograph, the iconic "golden spike" image
documenting the completion of the transcontinental
railroad.
N
John Carter wrote two articles about Charles Savage, available
by searching "Charles Savage" at history.nebraska.gov.
Roland Reed Ranch, 2 miles west of Beaver Crossing,
Nebraska, 1866. NSHS RG2469-PH0-5
The earliest known photo of Chimney Rock,
1866. This and other photos are by Charles
Savage. Photos listed as "attributed to"
were not labeled as Savage photos, but John
Carter identified them by other evidence.
NSHS RG3319-PH1-45
Fort Kearny, attributed to Charles Savage.
High winds that day blurred the trees.
NSHS RG2102-PH1-3
