Osprey Island, Raquette Lake 1893

This is Seneca Ray Stoddard's photograph of "Osprey Island, Raquette Lake," printed in a book, likely taken in the late 19th or early 20th century. Stoddard, born in 1844, was more than just a landscape photographer; he was a documentarian of the changing American landscape. His work captures the tension between the romantic allure of untouched nature and the encroachment of industrialization and tourism. What we see is filtered through a lens of nostalgia, reflecting a yearning for a disappearing wilderness, as the Adirondacks became increasingly accessible. Stoddard’s photographs helped shape the cultural identity of the region, inviting viewers to partake in the "back-to-nature" movement. Osprey Island is a quiet, reflective scene, yet it speaks volumes about preservation, access, and our complex relationship with the environment. It makes you wonder about the narratives we construct around nature.