Indiana in Stereo: Three-Dimensional Views of the Heartland

Shortly after Frenchman Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre introduced the first photographic process to the world in 1839, photographers began creating stereographs. Audiences around the world quickly became enthralled with the scenes on these cards, which appeared in three dimensions when viewed through a stereoscope. Well over a century and a half later, stereographs continue to entertain and educate the public.

Indiana in Stereo: Three-Dimensional Views of the Heartland reproduces nearly two hundred historical stereo views of Indiana. Made between the 1860s and the 1930s, these stereographs chronicle the changing nature of life in the Hoosier State—from the days of small family farms and travel by horse to the growth of cities and the rise of the automobile. Pictured are scenes from across the state showing landscapes, prominent buildings, natural disasters, families, workplaces, and public gatherings. Sometimes straightforward, often sentimental, these views serve as important documentation of the past. The accompanying essays help readers better understand the development of the stereograph and place the views in historical context.

To demonstrate that stereographs and stereo photography remain a viable art, the book also includes more than thirty contemporary views by noted Indiana photographer Darryl Jones. These modern-day scenes show prominent Hoosier landmarks, events such as the Indianapolis 500, and the natural beauty of the state. An essay by Jones details his interest in stereo photography and provides insight into his craft.

Included in the book is a handheld viewer so readers can view all the stereographs, both historical and modern, as they were intended to be seen—in three-dimensional wonder.