['The New Haven House', 'Hopkins Grammer School'] before 1882

James Notman's photograph, featured in a publication called "Tale, and the City of Elms," presents us with two architectural subjects: 'The New Haven House' and 'Hopkins Grammar School.' These images, made in the United States around 1867, are of interest to social and institutional historians like myself. We see not just buildings, but social structures rendered in brick and mortar. These establishments, a hotel and a school, served distinct functions in the social and cultural life of New Haven. Yale College dominates the text describing the hotel, emphasizing the close relationship between the town and the university. The Hopkins School was also a reflection of social priorities in the community, which was steeped in the puritanical ideals of the first settlers. To fully understand these images, we might consult local historical societies, city archives, or university records. The meaning of art and architecture is contingent on its social and institutional context.