P3D Watkins

[George Freeman <gcfreeman@xxxxxxx>]

I take no responsibility (or credit) for the questioned posting concerning
Watkins' photos swaying Lincoln to sign a bill preserving the Yosemite
Valley but, effectively, 'tis true.

My source is the catalog for Watkins' show in San Francisco (which I saw on
opening day, so there).  And, it says therein, at page 217, "1864 -
Watkins' Yosemite photographs play influential role in persuading United
States Congress tp pass legislation to preserve Yosemite Valley bill; bill
signed by Abraham Lincoln."

Included in the catalog are a number of Watkins' Yo-Semite views, both flat
and in stereo, that were taken prior to 1865.  In the catalog's further
choronolgy of his work, it shows that Watkins continued to make views of
Yosemite, for example, he spent the entire summer of 1878 in the valley.
Some of the later Yosemite images in the catalog are dated "1878-81".

--Geo 


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