The Yukon - Panoramas

A. C. Pillsbury invented the first circuit panorama camera as his senior project at Stanford University in 1897.  He showed the plans to his senior adviser who told him not to build it as it could not work.  Ignoring the advise of Dr. Wing, A. C. built it, proving him wrong. 

The camera accompanied Pillsbury and his father, Dr. Harlin Henry Pillsbury, when they set off for the Yukon a few months later. 

In 1899 Pillsbury moved the panorama camera, which was as large as a wash tub, to the headwaters of the Yukon River over White's Pass.  There, he modified a canoe, as a floating dark room and took the craft 2,600 miles to the Pacific Ocean.  At each mining camp he took panorama photos, selling them for gold dust, and sending the prints back via courier from the next stop down river. 

With him he also took small books of the classics to read in the evening after the labors of the day were completed. 

No. 1, below on Anvil Creek, last clean-up for a day & one half run, $10,000.00, total output for two months, $120,000.00

 The Valley of the Yukon 

 White Horse Rapids

The Low Lining up Five Finger Rapids 

Main Street, Circle City

Nome City from the beach near the NAT&T store. 1899

Panorama of Dawson, North West Territory

Main Street, Nome City, Sept. 22, '99.

Nome City Sept. 22, '99. A city two months old

Panorama - Nome City Water Front