This exhibit celebrates the life and work of William Henry Jackson (1843 – 1942), preeminent photographer of the American West. His larger-than-life career spanned studio photographer, bullwhacker on the Oregon Trail, to renowned explorer, and left an indelible impression on American history.
Jackson's landscape photography from the 1870s is intertwined with the establishment of the National Park Service. He was one of the first to photograph Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, and the Mesa Verde region. These photographs were integral to convincing Congress and the American public of the need to preserve these landscapes as national parks.
Decades after his expeditions ended, Jackson continued to photograph, paint, and draw his travels. Excerpts from his diaries and autobiographies, found throughout the exhibit, reveal his characteristic wit . Images featured in this exhibit are from the William Henry Jackson Collection at Scotts Bluff National Monument, among the world's largest collections of Jackson's work.
