HELP - TREASURE HUNT - REWARD FOR IDENTIFYING LOCATION IN PHOTO

[Land-Sea]

Hi every one. Okay.. here's the situation. I have a document for an appointment for Lt. Herbert Williams, 3rd Co. 5th Reg. Infantry Militia of CT. signed by Gideon Tomlinson, later Gov of CT. The date of the document is 1827. Also I have a document signed by then President Andrew Johnson dated 1866 appointing the same gentleman as Surveyor for the Port of Michgan City, District of Chicago, State of Illinois. With this group was a photograph.

I am assuming the photo goes with the documents. So...as you know, even today we all love to have our photos taken in scenic places. This photo shows 4 men, two of which I believe may be with the military as surveyors. To complete my mission I would like to identify the location of the photo. I have seen old shots of people at Chimney Rock, Half Dome and other geologic landmarks, but this one does not look familiar.

Do you know where it is It's worth $20 to me if you do. First one with the correct answer gets it. I will need to verify it by either another photo, website or any other proof you can provide.

What do you think? If you have a snowy day like I do today with nothing better to do...it might be fun to try and figure it out.

I hope this is okay to do.

Thanks Jake.

 

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[southbound]

Sorry, i can not help you. Intresting foto though. Vern

 

[EDDE]

stab in the dark you mention Illinois and surveys maybe the Mississippi Palisades its a state park now

 

[ZumbroKid]

Looks like look out mountain in Tennesse to me.

 

[ZumbroKid]

I believe this is a Mathew Brady photo from the Civil War.

 

[Land-Sea]

Morning to all from CA.

Thanks for all the leads. After I get off work today I will followup on the leads and see if I can find any results on the search. Thanks for all your help. If there is a winner I will let you know right away.

Thanks Jake (land-sea)

 

[Land-Sea]

Well, it's lunch time and I couldn't resist a look at some of the suggestions you all turned in. I didn't find many photo comparisons on the internet so I turned to my old standby eBay. I looked at postcards and photo and found one that looks dead on to me. If you all agree, Montanafree would be the winner. The photo I am showing now is from 1865. It looks to be the same. Note the white band coming down, and the little protusion on the steep face.

Okay I just tried to upload it and because it is on ebay it won't let me. Here is the ebay item number. 6258881586.

I will check back in tonight to see what you think.

 

[ZumbroKid]

Well, let me know if i got it right ok.

 

[jeff of pa]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6258881586&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2F%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26satitle%3D6258881586%26fvi%3D1

somewhat, but ?

 

[JakePhelps]

Does look similar, just at a different angle.

 

[Land-Sea]

Hi and thanks to all for helping. I think Montanafree is right and I am going to pursue that angle. I checked the other leads and nothing came up that led to a popular photo spot that looked similar. Brady also did a lot of work in this area and I will check that part out also.

Montanafree if you want, send me a private mail with your address and I'll get $20 off to you today. Thanks Jake (land-sea)

 

[ZumbroKid]

I got this one from Memory, very famous photo by Brady. Have not seen this one in over 30 years. Not lets make sure this is 100% correct. Before you sent prize. Let me know when it is really official that i won. I have a special purpose for the prize money. If I won we can hold contest for 2 charter memberships. What do you think of that idea?

 

[Gypsy Heart]

Looks like Pete has it......these are photos by Brady.....

 

[Land-Sea]

I am ready to declare the winner being MONTANAFREE. I am quite satisified that it is Lookout Mt, TN. If it turns out to be a Brady photo that'll be nice too. Let me know were to send the $20. I'll let you do with it as you wish, and say that I think it is splendid if you to go with charter membership. Gypsyheart, thanks also for the extra finds of Lookout Mt. Great stuff.

Best to all who participated in the hunt.

 

[ZumbroKid]

Can you send the prize money to Marc the moderator? Contact him to see the forms of payment he will accept. Hope that is not a hassle on your end. I also think i know who can run the charter membership contest for us here on the forum. Thanks Pete/Free/ MontanaFree!

 

[Pimp Lenin]

It looks to me to be the Lookout Mountain/Chattanooga area of Tennessee. But I see the mystery has been solved. Was I at least in the general area?

 

[THEDUKE]

to me this pick looks a lot like the palisades cliffs over looking the hudson river.
in the town of fort lee N.J. There is a historical park called fort lee, was a fort used to stop the british from comming up the hudson had large canons that were up high on the palisades and faced the river, this park is just below the george washington bridge it is over the palisades cliffs that face New york city, well if you go there they have something like that near the edge you can jump out onto it and get your picture taking it is real high up but.
the palisades cliffs go for miles, good luck

 

[texan connection]

Well It seems that the sight would have to offer a place to take the picture From. I believe I have seen this picture (the first one in the thread) concerning the construction of the hoover damn but I may be way off on that

 

[Red-Coat]

Just browsing around and spotted this thread. For those interested, below is a comparison with an image from the Library of Congress (right hand image) taken from the same aspect and which appears to be mounted in the same frame type.

The library caption reads “Seven unidentified officers and soldiers in Union uniforms and one officer [at left] identified as Major Charles S. Cotter of 1st Ohio Light Artillery Regiment, with telescope, at Point Lookout, Tennessee”. The photographer is credited as Royan M. Linn. Half-plate tintype, hand coloured, but faded.

 

[Mackaydon]

Great ID Red-Coat.
Some history: (Source: flickr)

Lookout Mountain in Tennessee was a popular photographic locations for both soldiers and civilians following the Civil War "Battle in the clouds". There are many photos made at this location of soldiers and civilians intermingled. After the war it was also a favorite photographic spot for veterans to be photographed.​

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Photo historian and collector George Whiteley posted: "This tintype was most certainly taken by Robert "Royan" M. Linn or his brother James Birney Linn who had a studio at Point Lookout that overlooks this spot and Moccasin Bend on the Tennessee River beyond. The Linn brothers operated their gallery there from December, 1863 until well after the war taking photographs of active-duty soldiers and veterans in tintype, large wet-plate and stereo formats.”​

Source: ​

Don in SoCal​

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