1881 Knaubner Bird's-Eye View of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

This is a striking 1881 Jacob Knaubner chromolithograph bird's-eye view map of Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania. This map captures Harrisburg at the peak of the Pennsylvania coal and steel booms. Although appearing in Reps, there are no digitized examples, and this is the only verifiable example.

A Closer Look

The dramatic high-oblique view looks northeast on Harrisburg from a high point across the Susquehanna River or possibly from above City Island. The domed state capital building and attendant gardens take center stage. Development is largely limited to between the Susquehanna and the Pennsylvania Canal, though coverage extends to the northeast to incorporate the suburbs and distant hills. Streets are named, and more than 125 specific sites are numbered, but unfortunately, the corresponding index has been lost.

Harrisburg in the Late 19th Century

In 1881, when this view was drawn, Harrisburg, the state capital, was a bustling industrial and transportation hub strategically located along the Susquehanna River. Its position made it a critical link in the growing network of railroads and waterways that connected Pennsylvania's coalfields, steel mills, and urban centers. Harrisburg was particularly significant as a center for iron and steel manufacturing, with numerous foundries and rolling mills contributing to the region's industrial boom. The Pennsylvania Railroad and other rail lines made the city a key distribution point for goods and resources. Civic pride was reflected in its growing public institutions, including the Pennsylvania State Capitol, which, though modest in its design at the time, underscored Harrisburg's role as the political heart of Pennsylvania.

American Bird's-Eye City Views

The Bird's-Eye view industry emerged in the United States in the middle part of the 19th century and coincided with the commercial development of lithographic printing. Before the rise of lithography, the ability to own and display artwork in the home was largely limited to the extremely wealthy, but the advent of lithographic printing made it possible for everyone to own visually striking artwork. A robust trade developed in portraits of political leaders, allegorical and religious images, and city views.

City views were being produced in the United States as early as the 1830s, but the genre exploded after the American Civil War (1861 - 1865). Bridging the gap between maps and pictures, most 19th-century American bird's-eye views presented cities to the public from high points. Some were imagined, but others were drawn from hot-air balloons or nearby hills. The presentation, combining high elevation, commercial interest, and new printing technology created a uniquely American art form, as described by historian Donald Karshan,

Some print connoisseurs believe that it was only with the advent of the full-blown city-view lithograph that American printmaking reached its first plateau of originality, making a historical contribution to the graphic arts. They cite the differences between the European city-view prints and the expansive American version that reflects a new land and a new attitude toward the land.

The vogue for bird's-eye city views lasted from about 1845 to 1920, during which period some 2,400 cities were thus portrayed, some multiple times. Although views were produced in many urban centers, the nexus of view production in the United States was Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The major American viewmakers were Stoner, Wellge, Bailey, Fowler, Hill Ruger, Koch, Burleigh, Norris, and Morse, among others.

Chromolithography

Chromolithography, sometimes called oleography, is a color lithographic technique developed in the mid-19th century. The process uses multiple lithographic stones, one for each color, to yield a rich composite effect. Generally, a chromolithograph begins with a black basecoat upon which subsequent colors are layered. Some chromolithographs used 30 or more separate lithographic stones to achieve the desired effect. Chromolithograph color can be blended for even more dramatic results. The process became extremely popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when it emerged as the dominant method of color printing. The vivid color chromolithography made it exceptionally effective for advertising and propaganda.

Publication History and Census

This view is untitled but corresponds in style and measurement to the Knaubner view of Harrisburg, published by John R. Fender of New York in 1881. Exceedingly rare, with no digitized examples known. Reps notes just one example, located at the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg; however, a search of their catalog reveals no such record. We have identified an example at the Palmer Museum of Art. Not in OCLC.