ms. sandweiss: as barbara suggested, my book is new, but some research began right here, nearly 20 years ago. more than 20 years ago.

ms. sandweiss: as barbara suggested, my book is new, but some research began right here, nearly 20 years ago. more than 20 years ago. here, surrounded by wonderful collections, supportive colleagues, supported by an institution that supported its staff, that i first began to care about western photographs. i came here as a very young curator, moderately ignorant as how museums worked and utterly ignorant of the history of photography. i left 10 years later a little bit wiser and certain that i found a field that was interesting and would engage me for the rest of my career. for those in the audience that supported me, thank you. to the rest of you, i hope you know how fortunate you are to have this wonderful institution and these collections, right here. afternoontalk this about photography and the american west, a new medium in a new place that came of age together. in 1839, the year that a french man announced his new invention to the world, much of the land now called the american west lay outside the political boundaries of the united states. in a british claimed oregon immigrants we