Chattanooga & Lookout Mountain Tennessee Town Albumen Photo Linn & Rollins c1900

Description

An original albumen photograph of Chattanooga viewed from Lookout Mountain c.1900 from Rollins and Linn photographers. George T. Linn was the son of R.M. Linn who set up a studio immediately after the Battle of Lookout Mountain and ran a studio there for many years, capturing the likeness of Generals Thomas and Hooker at Lookout Mountain after the battle, along with numerous Federal soldiers there at his famous studio above the clouds. After R.M. Linn's death in 1872, his brother J.B. Linn operated the studio continuing his brother's work as post war veterans flocked to Lookout Mountain, turning the location into one of the most famous tourist locales. J.B. and later R.M.'s son G.T. reprinted many of the original Linn's work offering them for sale at their studio. From 1901 to 1906 G.T. Linn and Wm. Rollins were partners providing a definite time range for this original print.
Photograph including mount measures 9" x 7" with actual image measuring 5 1/2" x 3 7/8". Missing corner to lower left of cardboard mount. Back marked "ROLLINS & LINN - PHOTOGRAPHERS - LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN - TENNESSEE". Penciled notation "Chattanooga viewed from Lookout Mt." Postage 5.00
Taken From -
May 20, 2016
· by
gaphodoc
A MOUNTAIN OF CONNECTIONS: GEORGIA – TENNESSEE PHOTOGRAPHERS, PART ONE
Historians have placed photographer R. M. Linn at Lookout just after the battles (Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge) in late 1863. Many of the Linn photographs held by Library of Congress are dated 1863, and although I have not verified this, a family account online tell us that he was a photographer and cartographer under General George H. Thomas’s command, which would certainly place him there quite early.
By 1884, J. B. Linn had “a large museum of battle relics — guns, shot, shell, canteens, etc. both in his eagle eyrie studio at the Point and at his pretty little flower-surrounded cottage — where he keeps the mountain post office.” (“Rambling Talks-Lula Lake, Rock City… ” in
Sunny South
, Sept. 27, 1884 p. 4 c.1-2). Mr. J. B. Linn certainly had a finger in every pie.
For other views made by the Linns, see the
Chattanooga History Center
.
J. B. Linn continued with the studio until 1886, when George T. Linn (1867-1941), R. M. Linn’s son who lived in James’ home from a young age, took over. George later opened a studio on Sunset Rock and leased the Point studio to Michigan photographers, the Hardie Brothers. The Hardies published at least two books of photographs,
Hardie’s Illustrated Guide to Lookout Mountain
in 1891, and their
One Hundred and Fifty Selected Views
Photographs of Lookout Mountain, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge
in 1895
[both for sale on ABEbooks, May 2016].
G. T. Linn also published various photo albums of Lookout Mountain and the area, including those taken by his father and uncle related to the Civil War. For about five years, 1901 to about 1906, he had a partner named William A. Rollins, and they also put out a
One Hundred and Fifty Selected Views
Photographs of Lookout Mountain, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge
, ca. 1901, so possibly Linn had once granted the Hardie Brothers use of those photos.