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Panoramic view of Electric Tower from a balloon

4,273 views · Published 15 April 2010 · 1:25 · Indexed 14 November 2026

Channel: Library of Congress · 2010 · Education

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SUMMARY
The title indicates that this film was taken from a balloon. However, there is no aerial photography. Instead it is an up and down or elevation of the camera on the then-famous Electric Tower built for the Exposition at Buffalo, New York.

From a contemporary Edison film company catalog: PANORAMIC VIEW OF THE ELECTRIC TOWER FROM A BALLOON. Unhabile [code for telegraphic orders]. Here we have recorded a very novel scene, the camera having been placed in the basket of the captive balloon at the Pan-American Exposition. It was then slowly elevated to the top of the Tower, a distance of 465 feet, and slowly lowered until it reached the ground, keeping the Tower in view all the time during the ascent and descent, ending with a very interesting view of the base of the Tower, with crowds of people passing to and fro. Class B 75 ft. $9.00

NOTES
Copyright: Thomas A. Edison; 14Aug1901; H7634.
Camera: Edwin S. Porter, James H. White.
Location: Pan-American Exposition, Buffalo, New York.

SUBJECTS
Pan-American Exposition--(1901 :--Buffalo, N.Y.)
Exhibitions--United States.
Towers--New York (State)--Buffalo.
Exhibition buildings--New York (State)--Buffalo.
Amusement rides--New York (State)--Buffalo.
Buffalo (N.Y.)
Actuality--Short.

RELATED NAMES
Porter, Edwin S., camera.
White, James H. (James Henry), camera.
Thomas A. Edison, Inc.
Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)

DIGITAL ID
lcmp001 m1a34478 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mbrsmi/lcmp001.m1a34478

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