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Niagara Falls

Platt D. Babbitt American

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 691

In 1853, long before it became commonplace for tourists to make snapshots of one another standing in front of famous sites, Platt Babbitt set up business in an open pavilion at Niagara Falls’ prime viewing point. His impressive daguerreotypes allowed visitors to take home not only a view of the spectacular landscape and a memory of the misty air and roaring sound, but also undeniable proof that they had stood at the edge of the falls.

Niagara Falls, Platt D. Babbitt (American, active 1840s–70s), Daguerreotype

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Niagara Falls, Platt D. Babbitt (American, active 1840s–70s), Daguerreotype
Niagara Falls, Platt D. Babbitt (American, active 1840s–70s), Daguerreotype
Niagara Falls, Platt D. Babbitt (American, active 1840s–70s), Daguerreotype
Niagara Falls, Platt D. Babbitt (American, active 1840s–70s), Daguerreotype

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