1927 Montpelier VT Flood Wrecked Winooski Railroad Bridge Glass Negative OOAK
Original, one-of-a-kind (OOAK) camera-original antique 4x5 gelatin silver glass plate negative captured on November 6, 1927: a staggering disaster documentary photograph: the twisted wreckage of the only railroad bridge into Montpelier, Vermont, collapsed into the swollen Winooski River in front of the State Capitol during the catastrophic Great Vermont Flood of November 1927.
Accompanied by both of its original period darkroom morgue filing sleeves bearing exact contemporary newsroom documentation:
The Outer Kraft Envelope Inscription:
Flood Montpelier, VT Nov, 1927
The Inner Linen Sleeve Inscription:
Montpelier, VT The Only Railroad Bridge into Montpelier wrecked by the flood. In front of Capitol over the Winwoski River November 6, 1927
Historical & Disaster Analysis:
The Great Flood of November 1927 remains the most devastating natural disaster in Vermont history. Torrential autumn rains unleashed catastrophic torrents down the Winooski River valley, completely submerging downtown Montpelier under up to ten feet of water, wiping out highway bridges, and severing all rail and telegraph communications. The destruction of this critical through-truss railroad bridge directly opposite the State House cut off the capital city from rail relief shipments, stranding locomotive traffic and requiring heroic emergency reconstruction efforts by the state and the railroads.
Captured on the riverbank just days after the water crested by Boston Herald-Traveler staff photojournalist Leslie Jones:
The Structural Collapse: The heavy steel polygonal through-truss bridge is sheared from its stone masonry pier and plunged directly into the churning river current. Massive structural iron beams, lateral cross-bracing, and gusset plates are bent and torqued under colossal hydrostatic pressure.
Torn Trackwork & Flood Debris: The track approach in the foreground is completely gutted; heavy steel rails are twisted like ribbons, railway ties are dislodged and splintered, and mats of tree limbs, brush, and river silt are packed against the sheared portal struts.
Atmospheric Clarity: Exceptional lens sharpness rendering the texture of peeled iron paint, sheared structural rivets, bare winter trees on the opposite bank, and the rushing waters of the Winooski River.
Specifications:
Format: Heavy antique silver gelatin 4x5 glass plate negative, exposed directly in a press camera on November 6, 1927.
Archive Ephemera Included: Accompanied by both the original vintage tan kraft darkroom morgue filing envelope and the original inner linen archival sleeve.
Please Note: This listing is for the original antique glass plate negative and its period paper archive sleeves only. Any positive photographic images shown in this listing are modern inverted digital scans provided solely as a visual representation to show what finished photographs print like. No physical paper photograph, modern print, or paper product of any kind is included with this purchase.
Condition:
Very Good to Excellent antique condition. Heavy glass plate is structurally sound with no cracks, fractures, or perimeter glass breaks. The silver gelatin emulsion is remarkably clean, sharp, and stable throughout, capturing brilliant tonal depth and contrast across the torn metal trusswork, track wreckage, and river landscape. Displays only minor authentic edge silvering and faint handling wear strictly along the extreme outer borders outside the primary image area. Accompanied by the original period kraft morgue filing envelope and inner linen sleeve.
The glass plate negative measures 4 x 5In.
If you collect glass negatives, please check out our collection in our store. We are currently listing thousands of original glass photo negatives from this DJD collection through the remainder of the year. Follow our store, and feel free to reach out about any questions about the negatives in this collection.
Ships with extreme care in archival materials to ensure safe transit. Feel free to reach out with any requests or questions).
Combined shipping is available (with other glass negatives)
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