Dispatches from the Samuel Center

Sky-larking Canalaeronauts

Bill Hecht just sent a whimsical image from the CSNY collection. It made me laugh on a work day, but it got me wondering about something. A few years ago all the rage among some smartphone users was an app called snapchat, which allowed filters to add unusual teeth, ears, and eyes to photos. Costumes…

will van dorp
1–2 minutes
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Bill Hecht just sent a whimsical image from the CSNY collection. It made me laugh on a work day, but it got me wondering about something.

A few years ago all the rage among some smartphone users was an app called snapchat, which allowed filters to add unusual teeth, ears, and eyes to photos. Costumes could be changed, as could settings.

The early 20th century saw its own fads involving photography. Here and here are examples of “moon” photos. Given that the 19th century canal had its very own aeronaut named Carlotta, the stretch from moon photo to balloon photo is not that great.

Furthermore, what better way to draw folks to your studio is there than by merging a quirky photo with your studio address. No city name was needed because the Rochester aqueduct was iconic in its own right. There was in fact an Allen [Louis E.]with a photography studio at various addresses in Rochester between 1907 and 1935. The address was 255 E. Main only in 1907, meaning that’s the year of the print.

Are there more such images in the CSNY collection? Here’s a previous Dispatches post featuring the Rochester aqueduct.

Carlotta with her balloon farm is one of my favorite canal corridor characters; it would be great to find more images that conjoin Carlotta and the canal.

3 responses to “Sky-larking Canalaeronauts”

  1. Lee Rust Avatar
    Lee Rust

    251121_LR to Samuel Center

    In 1907, that photographer’s studio was in the newly-built five story Sibley’s department store building, which is still a landmark in downtown Rochester.

    Reply
    1. will van dorp Avatar
      will van dorp

      Wow, Lee! Thanks for that info. I imagined it a stand-alone one-story shop. And the wonder of 2025, here’s more: what that address looked like circa 1907: https://www.facebook.com/groups/RaisedInandAroundRochesterNY/posts/7239779232727105/ and how it looks now: https://www.google.com/maps/place/255+E+Main+St,+Rochester,+NY+14604/@43.1573876,-77.6055365,3a,75y,317.66h,115.5t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1shy4CIgIK1w9hgXozaonkbw!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D-25.497198231148715%26panoid%3Dhy4CIgIK1w9hgXozaonkbw%26yaw%3D317.6631000715469!7i16384!8i8192!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x89d6b5ab1b2d8705:0x7e45567258759ce2!2s255+E+Main+St,+Rochester,+NY+14604!3b1!8m2!3d43.1571772!4d-77.6055841!16s%2Fg%2F11n0_rhztm!3m5!1s0x89d6b5ab1b2d8705:0x7e45567258759ce2!8m2!3d43.1571772!4d-77.6055841!16s%2Fg%2F11n0_rhztm?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTExNy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

      Reply
  2. Lee Rust Avatar
    Lee Rust

    Those 1899 photos show the Granite Building in Rochester, where Sibley’s was originally located. After that building was gutted by fire in 1904, Sibley’s built their own edifice up the street at 255 East Main. They started out in 1905 with five stories, expanded in 1911 and added 7 more stories in 1924. Sibley’s closed in the 1990’s and the building later served as the downtown campus for Monroe Community College. It’s currently being re-developed for multi-use residential/commercial space.

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