William Gunnison Chamberlain was one of the most famous Colorado photographers of the late nineteenth century. He was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts on November, 9, 1815. Early in his life he traveled to Peru where he learned the art of making daguerreotype photographs. He then traveled to the California gold regions shortly after the gold rush of 1849. He stayed their for several years. By 1855, Chamberlain found himself in Chicago, and by 1861 he had finally settled in Denver. He produced the bulk of his photographs out of the Denver area until 1889. He concentrated in particular on mining districts and Colorado natural scenery. He operated under his own name from 1864-77, and as "Chamberlain & Son" in 1881, at which time he sold his studio to Francis D. Storm. In 1887 and '88 (and part-time in 1889), Chamberlain worked with William Henry Jackson out of Jackson’s Denver studio.

Chamberlain's Yellowstone stereoviews are somewhat puzzling. There is a question as to whether these are actually Chamberlain’s photographs, or if they are Jackson photos that are credited to Chamberlain. The images were taken at a time when the two men were working together. To date, no Chamberlain Yellowstone stereoviews have turned up in private collections. They are all held by the Denver Public Library, and were donated by the Chamberlain family. It is not known if Chamberlain ever issued his views of Yellowstone for sale to the general public.

[View of geysers in] Yellowstone National Park.

A rare Chamberlain view of Geyser Hill in Upper Geyser Basin looking west.

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