Mill Portrait
Carte de visite by C.L. Obst of Pittsfield, Ill. Smoke pours from a large cylindrical chimney and smaller exhaust pipe of this brick mill in Pittsfield, Illinois. Men peer out of windows on the third floor, and more busy themselves outside with wagons and a tree trunk.
The building bears a close resemblance to a stereo card of a "Large group of people in buggies and wagons at C.P. Chapman's flouring mill in Pittsfield" in the collection of The New York Public Library: digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e0-5aaa-a3d9-e040...
Photographer Charles Louis Obst (about 1826-1907), an immigrant from Saxony, Germany, was billed as an "archeological artist" in the 1906 book "Past and Present of Pike County, Illinois." A founder of the Pike County Antiquarian Society, he and others documented artifacts related to Native Americans and early French explorers.
The Pike County history book also includes this description: "Pittsfield is near the center of the county and is the county capital. The pioneer who first located here was Joel Moore, next came Ephraim Cannon and Moses Riggs. The county seat was located at Pittsfield by Commissioners George W. Hinman, Hawkins Judd and Benjamin Barney. The first sale of lots took place May 15, 1833. The town was recorded May 14, 1833. The first court house was built in 1833, and the second one in 1838, and the present structure in 1894-5, is a handsome temple of justice and perhaps in its appointments and finish will compare favorably with any in the State. The town has three newspapers, two banks and the largest flouring mill in the western part of the state; has eight churches and two large school buildings. Among the famous people who began their careers in Pittsfield were Milton Hay; John Hay, who in his lifetime was recognized as one of America's greatest diplomats; John G. Nicolay, private secretary to President Lincoln. Pittsfield's citizens that are sojourning on the Pacific coast and in the West are very numerous, and most of them are making fame and fortunes for themselves. Pittsfield has several good hotels and a very commodious opera house. In secret societies, she has the Masons, blue lodge, chapter and commandery; Odd Fellows; Knights of Pythias; Woodmen; Mutual Protective League; Pike County Mutual; Grand Army of the Republic, and numerous others.
I encourage you to use this image for educational purposes only. However, please ask for permission.
Mill Portrait
Carte de visite by C.L. Obst of Pittsfield, Ill. Smoke pours from a large cylindrical chimney and smaller exhaust pipe of this brick mill in Pittsfield, Illinois. Men peer out of windows on the third floor, and more busy themselves outside with wagons and a tree trunk.
The building bears a close resemblance to a stereo card of a "Large group of people in buggies and wagons at C.P. Chapman's flouring mill in Pittsfield" in the collection of The New York Public Library: digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e0-5aaa-a3d9-e040...
Photographer Charles Louis Obst (about 1826-1907), an immigrant from Saxony, Germany, was billed as an "archeological artist" in the 1906 book "Past and Present of Pike County, Illinois." A founder of the Pike County Antiquarian Society, he and others documented artifacts related to Native Americans and early French explorers.
The Pike County history book also includes this description: "Pittsfield is near the center of the county and is the county capital. The pioneer who first located here was Joel Moore, next came Ephraim Cannon and Moses Riggs. The county seat was located at Pittsfield by Commissioners George W. Hinman, Hawkins Judd and Benjamin Barney. The first sale of lots took place May 15, 1833. The town was recorded May 14, 1833. The first court house was built in 1833, and the second one in 1838, and the present structure in 1894-5, is a handsome temple of justice and perhaps in its appointments and finish will compare favorably with any in the State. The town has three newspapers, two banks and the largest flouring mill in the western part of the state; has eight churches and two large school buildings. Among the famous people who began their careers in Pittsfield were Milton Hay; John Hay, who in his lifetime was recognized as one of America's greatest diplomats; John G. Nicolay, private secretary to President Lincoln. Pittsfield's citizens that are sojourning on the Pacific coast and in the West are very numerous, and most of them are making fame and fortunes for themselves. Pittsfield has several good hotels and a very commodious opera house. In secret societies, she has the Masons, blue lodge, chapter and commandery; Odd Fellows; Knights of Pythias; Woodmen; Mutual Protective League; Pike County Mutual; Grand Army of the Republic, and numerous others.
I encourage you to use this image for educational purposes only. However, please ask for permission.