Gezicht op het Windsorhotel in Denver en prairiehonden in een dierentuin in Colorado before 1883

R.D. Cleveland captured this album page with photographs of the Windsor Hotel in Denver, Colorado, and prairie dogs in a zoo. Here, visual codes intersect with cultural and historical associations. Hotels like the Windsor were not merely places to stay; they were symbols of urban development and western expansion in late 19th-century America. Tourist images of natural wonders, such as the prairie dogs, played a crucial role in constructing an appealing image of the American West. Consider the institutional history at play, such as the development of railway tourism and the marketing of the West. It's easy to see how images like these influenced perceptions and policies toward land use, natural resources, and indigenous populations. To understand it better, we might research promotional materials from railroad companies or early wildlife conservation efforts. Through such investigations, the meaning of the image reveals itself. The study of art becomes a window into the social dynamics of its time.