Canton Tea Company and fire brigade

This image was taken at the northwest corner of 4th and Olive streets and shows Union Fire Co. #2, a fire brigade composed of citizen volunteers, amid onlookers. Thomas Easterly’s cityscapes, like this one produced in 1848, showcase not only the built environment of a rapidly changing urban center, but also a rich social fabric where people from all walks of life converged.

Object Title and Accession Number

Canton Tea Company and a parade featuring members of Union Fire Co. #2. Daguerreotype by Thomas M. Easterly, 1848. N17061.

Black and white photograph of people on a street

A vintage photograph in a decorative frame shows a bustling street scene with a three-story brick building labeled "Canton Tea Company." People and horses with carriages populate the street.