Digitizing the WMNF Lantern Slide Collection
WMNF Magic Lantern Slides
In preparation for the exhibition and in collaboration with the USDA Forest Service, the Museum of the White Mountains digitized a collection of 459 rarely seen magic lantern slides.
These magic lantern slides were created in the 1930s and were likely used by Forest Service personnel who often traveled with photographs, slides, and motion pictures for public education and to help build support for forest conservation. Once they became obsolete, the slides were put in storage and passed on to the Forest Service Heritage Program until they were digitized in 2018 by Plymouth State University student and MWM intern, Aisilyn Guivens ’19 to scan the collection, which were subsequently featured in the exhibition.
It was amazing to see the expansion of the White Mountain National Forest and the technology used to promote environmental safety and protection. It helped me to understand just how much work is put into keeping our forests safe and accessible to the public. On top of that, I loved the images of the various mountain ranges and camps, and I was especially excited to see a photograph of the Old Man of the Mountain. I love to hike and seeing some of the mountains I have climbed in some of these images from almost one hundred years ago is truly spectacular. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed working on this project and learning more about a place that is very near and dear to my heart.
Aisilyn Guivens, MWM/ WMNF Intern
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About the Magic Lantern
Magic Lantern slides could be considered the forerunner of the Power Point programs that are commonly used today. They owe their origin to the mid-17th century. Originally they consisted of paintings on glass that were projected by an optical device using a light source. By the mid 1850’s photographic images were being put on glass slides and were commercially sold by the millions.
Magic Lantern slides and projectors were popular from 1890 until around 1940 when they were made obsolete by 35 mm slides developed by the Kodak Company.
Photographs courtesy of the USDA Forest Service, White Mountain National Forest.