Petersburg Four-Part Panorama 1865
A series of four photographs (previously unidentified together) were taken in April or early May 1865, documenting the City of Petersburg from Dunn's Hill, north of the Appomattox River. Stitched together, these images form an impressive panorama of the wartime city. While we are confident of these annotations, we are still working hard to confirm and fill in the gaps. The photos from the National Archives Collection, although unattributed, may have been taken by Timothy O'Sullivan and his associate, W. R. Pywell in the weeks after Petersburg was evacuated by the armies. The Dunn House (of Dunn's Hill) still stands on Carroll Avenue, Colonial Heights.
Before printing a finished positive for three of these negatives, the cameramen scraped the emulsion off of the sky along the tree line. This was for historians an unfortunate practice that the photographers felt removed noticeable flaws in the emulsion and improved the finished product.. Although making the print more attractive, this tended to destroy subtle evidence. Large witness trees, tree lines, distant buildings (like Blandford Church?), and other details would be eradicated. Nevertheless, there is a tremendous amount of valuable information contained herein.
To reveal the beauty and achievement of this panorama, the individual images have been tweaked in various ways to more seamlessly piece together the four photographs. Researchers interested in particular building details should, of course, consult the original images. Colleague Mark Jacob pointed out that we had reversed St. Joseph Catholic and Market Street M. E. on the original post. That has been corrected.
Before printing a finished positive for three of these negatives, the cameramen scraped the emulsion off of the sky along the tree line. This was for historians an unfortunate practice that the photographers felt removed noticeable flaws in the emulsion and improved the finished product.. Although making the print more attractive, this tended to destroy subtle evidence. Large witness trees, tree lines, distant buildings (like Blandford Church?), and other details would be eradicated. Nevertheless, there is a tremendous amount of valuable information contained herein.
To reveal the beauty and achievement of this panorama, the individual images have been tweaked in various ways to more seamlessly piece together the four photographs. Researchers interested in particular building details should, of course, consult the original images. Colleague Mark Jacob pointed out that we had reversed St. Joseph Catholic and Market Street M. E. on the original post. That has been corrected.
NARA 524503. Petersburg from Dunn's Hill (left panel).
NARA 524543. Petersburg from Dunn's Hill (left center panel).
NARA 524527. Petersburg from Dunn's Hill (right center panel). [Was this taken with a stereo camera? Might explain why emulsion was scraped from plates to make a panorama.
The steeples, from left to right will read: St. Joseph's Catholic; Market St. Methodist-Episcopal; First Baptist; 2nd Presbyterian; Grace Episcopal. The 2nd Presbyterian lacked a steeple at the time.
NARA 524560. Petersburg from Dunn's Hill (right panel).
This detail from NARA 524560 may show one of the tall brick chimneys from the Confederate leadworks southwest of town. The image is hazy, but the feature does line up well with the historic map.
Below is another detail from NARA 524560, showing Johnson's Mill complex through the trees. LC 03864 is included beneath for comparison.
Below is another detail from NARA 524560, showing Johnson's Mill complex through the trees. LC 03864 is included beneath for comparison.
LC 03864 detail of mill."[Petersburg, Va., vicinity. Johnson's Mill on the Appomattox below Campbell's Bridge; soldiers standing on rocks in the stream]." Extremely clear large format photograph taken from the north bank showing Johnson's Mill with seven soldiers posed on rocks. Mill dam is at right of photo.
NARA RG77 G164."Copy of Map by James Keily published in 1854 made by Arthur Fendall, Asst., photographed for Engineers Department by L.E. Walken, June 1864."
Last update 07/2024
