Fairmount c. 1883 - 1888

This photograph by M.P. Warner presents a street view of Fairmount. The image, with its stark depiction of houses under construction, evokes a sense of burgeoning urban life. The scaffolding stands out—a symbol of transformation. Scaffolding as an image dates back to ancient construction, representing not just building but also the impermanence of the present state. Consider the Tower of Babel, a story deeply embedded in our collective memory; scaffolding there signified ambition and the drive for progress. Yet, it also carried a warning about overreach. Here, the scaffolding around Fairmount's houses echoes that tension: the potential for growth and the precariousness of building anew. It's a powerful force, engaging us in an understanding of time and change. The photograph captures a moment in time, a transition, much like life itself. This motif of building and rebuilding, of striving and transforming, will continue to resurface throughout history.