Gezicht op de Tuin der goden in Colorado before 1893

This black and white image presents a 'View of the Garden of the Gods in Colorado'. It appears to be a photograph reproduced in a book, sometime in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. The image provides a particular view of the American West, which was simultaneously a site of sublime natural beauty, and also one of burgeoning industry and tourism. Note the tables that indicate the properties of local mineral springs, which had become a lucrative tourist attraction. How does this contrast with the sublime mountain scenery visible in the background? To better understand the cultural meaning of this image, we might research the history of tourism in Colorado, and study the way the West was being packaged and sold to consumers. We might also reflect on the environmental impact of these industries, and how they shape the landscapes they depend on.