Wood Engraving, "View of the Public Landing at Louisville, Kentucky," 1850-1855

01

Artifact Overview

By the 1850s, Louisville, Kentucky, was the nation's tenth largest city and the largest Ohio River port between Pittsburgh and St. Louis. Manually operated flatboats and steam-powered riverboats carried freight and passengers up and down the river. Louisville was also the largest slave trading center in the country, with between 2,500 and 4,000 enslaved people passing through each year.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Print (Visual work)

Date Made

1856

Subject Date

1850-1855

Creators

Creator Notes

Engraved by N. Johnson

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

82.129.452

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)
Cardboard

Technique

Wood engraving (Process)

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 6 in
Width: 9.5 in

Inscriptions

Printed below image: Engraved expressly for the Progress of the Republic, and entered according to Act of Congress / VIEW OF THE PUBLIC LANDING AT LOUISVILLE, KY. Typewritten on sheet on back: Louisville, Kentucky. / Print entitled "View of the Public Landing at Lousiville, Ky." A view showing the / levee and Ohio River traffic. / Wood engraving. / Date: about 1850-1855 Handwritten in pencil on upper right hand corner of backing board: #452