Charles Graham

1852-1911

American (Rock Island (Rock Island, Illinois, United States) - New York (New York, United States))

An itinerant, self-taught sketch artist for Harper & Brothers, Charles Graham was born in Rock Island, Illinois, and his drawings were in nearly every issue of Harper's from 1880 to 1892. During those years he produced literally hundreds of works which illustrated everything from inaugurations, to conventions and city views. Before working for Harper's, Graham was a painter of theater backdrops in Chicago and then hired out as in 1883 a topographer for the Northern Pacific Railroad survey. He was present when the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1883, and covered the subject of railroads extensively for Harper's. From 1880 to 1889 he produced 120 views of the far West. He made a winter trip to Yellowstone in 1887 with photographer Frank J. Haynes. He also drew scenes of Denver. In 1890 he did sketches from the Dakotas to New Mexico.