Gezicht op Glacier Bay before 1890

This is a photograph of Glacier Bay by William Henry Partridge. The image is nestled within the pages of a book discussing glaciers in California. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as settlers moved West, landscape photography served a dual purpose: both documenting and promoting the American frontier. But whose perspective was being centered? What stories were being told and, perhaps more importantly, whose stories were being left out? The romanticization of the frontier often overshadowed the experiences of indigenous communities and the impact of westward expansion on Native land. While Partridge's photograph captures the sublime beauty of Glacier Bay, it also reflects a selective vision of progress. It reminds us to consider the full complexity of our history. We must consider whose voices and experiences were marginalized in the pursuit of this vision.