(Minnesota – St. Paul) St. Paul, Minn., January 1888
Boasting a population of “175,000” and noting over three hundred businesses, institutions and key residences, this promotional view would stop you in your tracks and draw you to consider this metropolis at the head of the Mississippi. It is an ideal city, full of business, industry and plenty of rail lines, not to mention the many paddle wheel boats steaming around the Mississippi. Uniquely this edition of this view includes the handsome portraits of the heads of the Mahler Company, “the most extensive carriage and harness house in the world”, and lists some of their offerings, all noted in the sky just above the vanishing horizon. While it is titled “January of 1888”, it sure looks snow free and green, but in actuality, a famous freak winter storm hit on the twelfth and thirteenth of that month and actually claimed two hundred lives.
Professionally restored and lined, there is some light soiling in the right edge of the image, and some old tears well mended and not obtrusive. Image size is 24.5 x 39.75, full color.
