Four Boudoir Photographs of a Jack Rabbit Drive held in Fresno, California, March 10, 1892
Four original mounted albumen photos, 5.5 x 8.5 inches, part of a series of six by Fresno-based photographer F.M. Stiffler, with his stamp on the backs. In good condition only - all with some light soiling, one with a chipped corner, and one that was creased from bending and then reinforced on the back with non-archival tape. One photo has explanatory text from the photographer on the verso, proclaiming that "The rabbit drive which so fitly terminated the exercises of the encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic in Fresno on March 10, 1892, was one of the most successful and picturesque ever had in California, more than 5000 people being on the ground and about 20,000 rabbits having been driven into the corral and slain." This is followed by a brief description of the content of each of the six photos in the series. The 1892 Fresno drive was one of approximately 200 rabbit drives held in California in the late 1880s and 1890s that resulted in the death of an estimated half-million rabbits. As increasing numbers of people moved into the San Joaquin valley and began cultivating land on which jack rabbits were abundant, it became necessary to protect the new orchards, vineyards, and fields. The idea of driving rabbits into corrals where they could be easily killed apparently had origins in native American societies. This series of images captures different stages of this brutal--but evidently quite popular--process. We find few holdings for any of these images in OCLC, and no institution appears to have more than two from the series. .
Item #20861
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