Trestle Bridge at Whiteside 1864

George N. Barnard made this albumen print, Trestle Bridge at Whiteside, using photographic processes of the time. But I want to draw your attention to the material depicted in the image. Think about that bridge looming in the background, and the part-constructed structure to the right. Both are skeletal constructions of timber. The bridge is an astonishing feat of engineering made using brute force, but also, a canny deployment of craft knowledge. The builders needed to understand the properties of wood to erect such an ambitious structure. This photograph offers an insight into 19th-century industrial development and infrastructure. Railroads depended upon the specific availability of raw materials, the availability of labor, and the ability to convert natural resources into tools, all in service of commerce and communication. Barnard’s photograph reminds us of the amount of labor, both material and physical, involved in building the modern world. It prompts us to reflect on the true cost of progress.