Stereograph, “Mirror View of Cloud’s Rest, Yosemite Valley, Cal.”

Photography of Yosemite predates the Yosemite Grant legislation, which initially protected this area. Carleton Watkins’ 1861 large “mammoth” photographs were displayed on the East Coast, and created an early interest in the extraordinary landscape of the Yosemite Valley. But the grand mammoth photographs of Carleton Watkins and later Eadweard Muybridge did not make their way into the homes of the American people. Stereographs—the three-dimensional imagery of the day— were an enormously popular and affordable home entertainment. These pairs of photographs mounted on cards appear three-dimensional when seen through special viewers, and thousands of photographs were taken of Yosemite to feed the demand for these views, which were distributed throughout the United States and Europe.

James J. Reilly (1834-1893), the creator of this stereo view, traveled to California after leaving his photographic studio in Niagara Falls. He photographed Yosemite in the 1870s and operated a seasonal studio in Yosemite Valley from 1870-1876. He was known for the cloud effects and reflections he captured in his landscape views, which can be seen in this example. The smaller, more portable stereo cameras allowed for a greater variety of views and subjects, and Reilly also photographed Yosemite’s visitors, American Indians, and hotels and hotel keepers.

Stereo photography allowed virtual travelers to experience the landscape of Yosemite and other parts of the west from their homes. It fueled the American public’s fascination with these views, increased support for the preservation of public lands, and promoted increased travel to the west.