In Port

Until the Brooklyn Bridge opened in 1883, Long Island was only accessible by way of water. Boats of all sizes constantly moved in and out of its harbors, transporting people and goods. During the 1870s and 80s, Lange watched these ports and their watercraft evolve as steam engines slowly took the place of sails. With vessels depending less on wind patterns for navigation, travel and trade became more predictable. On a local scale, this meant that regularly scheduled passenger steamers reliably ferried people between New York City and resorts along the North Shore. On a global scale, it meant that shipping companies commissioned the construction of large steam and sail ships that serviced new shipping lines between the North Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Lange watched the world modernize around him as new technology ushered in an unprecedented era of human travel and trade.

Detail, Edward Lange (1846-1912), City of New York, 1876, Watercolor and gouache on paper, 8.9375 x 14.75 in., The Mariners' Museum and Park, 1941.0001.000001

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