This cabinet card photograph features two men dressed in western style suits, posing for their portrait at the Hawes & Elliott studio in Anaconda, Montana Territory. The men in this image were likely associated with the mining business. This photo was taken before 1889, the year that Montana became a state. Anaconda is located in southwestern Montana. The city is just 8 miles south of the Continental Divide. Anaconda was founded by Marcus Daly, a “Copper King”, who financed the construction of a smelter near Anaconda, to process copper ore from the Butte mines. In 1883, Daly petitioned to name the town “Copperopolis”, but that name was already taken by another town. Instead, Daly settled for the name “Anaconda” which was the name of a nearby copper mine. The two photographers involved in producing this cabinet card were Winifield S Hawes and either John A Elliott or George E Elliott. The Elliotts are known to have operated a photo studio in Butte, while Montana was still a territory. This cabinet card is in excellent condition (see scans). (SOLD)
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 