Stereograph

Description

The photograph is of the Herb House belonging to the Second Order of the Church Family (later the Center Family) at Mount Lebanon, New York. A description of the Herb House appeared in Benson J. Lossing's article, "The Shakers" that appeared in Harper's New Monthly Magazine in July, 1857 (v. 15) pp. 164-177. Lossing includes an illustration of the building as it appeared in 1856 during his visit to Mount Lebanon. The original watercolor illustration, now in the collection of the Huntington Library, appears in the book, An Early View of the Shakers, edited by Don Gifford (1989) p. 17. A hand written inscription on the back of the card reads: "Herb House, Destroyed By Fire Feb-1875 2nd Order Mt. Lebanon." There is also a small handwritten monogram on the back of the care that probably belongs to Henry T. Clough. The Herb House was burned in February, 1875, by the same "fire-bug" that burned the Church Family Dwelling a month earlier. James Irving, the photographer, began photographing at Mount Lebanon in either 1869 or 1870. Since this is apparently a summer scene, the photograph was not made later than the summer of 1874, so the photograph dates from between 1869 and 1874.