Milwaukee Business Album
One of the most interesting and illusive items in the library collection is the Milwaukee Business Album. The Milwaukee Business Album was created as an early advertisement for many of the area’s businesses. The pages have a photograph of the business and advertisements or business cards surrounding the photo. The photographs in the album were taken by Erastus H. Canfield. Born in New York in 1831, Canfield traveled to Milwaukee and began work as a photographer. His studio was located at 224 & 226 Spring Street (present-day Wisconsin Ave).
The photographs in the album were taken in circa 1872. The images Canfield took show some of the earliest photographs of Milwaukee area businesses, as well as some of the earliest images of architecture in Milwaukee. The companies that are highlighted in the album span many different businesses, including breweries, mills, barbers, iron works, tailors, grocers, and jewelers. Many of the images also include proprietors of the businesses and other individuals on the street.
Although it is one of the rarest pieces in our collections, the history of the album is somewhat unknown. The blank book was manufactured by West & Company, a local book seller, and book manufacturer. The cover of the book is engraved with:
Milwaukee Business Album.
Newcomb House.
It is unknown what “Newcomb House” is regarding. It may have been an individual’s album, which was kept in their home. It may also have been a company that manufactured or commissioned the work to be completed. One possibility is that the book was owned by Charles W. Newcomb. A founding member of Larkin & Newcomb, a transfer agency of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad; Charles Newcomb may have owned the Milwaukee Business Album for advertising Milwaukee area businesses to his customers.
Although the truth about Newcomb House may never be known, the Milwaukee Business Album will continue to serve as one of the earliest examples of Milwaukee architecture and businesses available in the city.
