H69.459.1939

Photograph. Title: 113 Rock Great Eastern No 2 Echo Cannon (Scratched on negative) Image Description: See title. See also 69.459.1940 Physical Description: "Imperial Plate" collodion glass negative, 10"X13". Sub. Cat.: Transportation -- Railroads

"The title of this rock formation "Great Eastern" likely refers to the rock's resemblance to a great ship rising up out of the water. The Great Eastern, built in England in 1858, was largest ocean-going vessel in the world. It was the ship that laid the first transatlantic cable in 1866 (perhaps another reason for the reference). Interestingly, it's construction was extensively documented in photographs by Robert Howlett.This information is not sourced. In Russell's annotated captions for the photograph in the Great West Illustrated, he says "This rock derives its name from its faint resemblence to a huge ship..." Information about the Great Eastern (steamship) is readily available on Google. Information about Howlett's photographic documentation of the construction of the ship is well-known. The connection between this specific steamship and the title is mine. It would, however, have been well-known to Americans as it was used to lay the first permanent trans-Atlantic telegraph line across the Atlantic ocean in 1866." Remarks per Glenn Willumson for the NEA Russell Grant, July 2013 - June 2015."

This work (by Andrew J. Russell), identified by Oakland Museum of California, is free of known copyright restrictions.

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Used: Union Pacific Railroad