Photography Origins

H.H. Bennett embarked on his life as a photographer after an injury sustained in the Civil War permanently crippled his right hand, preventing him from continuing as a carpenter. He did use his carpentry skills, however, as he began his career as a photographer.  

Purchasing a tintype studio in Wisconsin Dells (then Kilbourn City), he took his first stereographic landscape photographs of the rugged Wisconsin River dells in 1868. Often constructing all aspects of the camera except for the lenses, he ventured out into the wooded and rocky landscape of the Dells and captured the area on film. He was one of the first photojournalists, using photographs to tell a story.

Celebrated 19th-Century Landscape Photographer

H.H. Bennett is viewed as one of the best landscape photographers of the 19th century. While other photographers clung to the relative safety of working within their studios, Bennett developed a passion for landscape photography in the field because, in his words, “It is easier to pose nature and less trouble to please.” He conformed to a common view of that time, which saw nature as a playground to be enjoyed, not feared.  

Love of the Dells

H.H. Bennett came to know the dells area quite well and was not satisfied to take just any view of an area he wanted to photograph. He took his time and persisted until he got exactly what he wanted. He is known to venture hard to reach natural areas on occasion. If the light was bad or the angle wrong, he may return several times to the same place until he could get an image just as he envisioned.  

The Oldest Operating Business

Henry Hamilton Bennett opened his first studio in 1865. It has the distinction of being the oldest known operating business in Wisconsin Dells. ln 1875 he moved into the current studio he (and his friend and mentor, William Metcalf) designed on Broadway. It has been in continuous operation ever since and is believed to be the oldest still operating photography studio in the United States. Bennett’s family ran the business until 1998 when they donated the property to the Wisconsin Historical Society. It opened as a WHS site in 2000.

The Ho-Chunk People

H.H. Bennett was the first to photograph the Ho-Chunk people, and his ongoing relationship with the Ho-Chunk people helped the tribal nation record its history and heritage in Wisconsin. The Ho-Chunk, previously referred to as Winnebago, traveled and lived extensively along the Mississippi, and Wisconsin Rivers. Bennett’s photography captured the native surroundings along the Dells of the Wisconsin River during the 19th century. Bennett established a working and lasting relationship with the Ho-Chunk, evident in his photographs and journals. The Ho-Chunk Nation uses many of Bennett’s images today.

Bennett Legacy

The historic photography of H.H. Bennett captures the spirit of late 19th-century Wisconsin as recorded by the cameras of one of photography’s true pioneers. Bennett captured the heart and soul of areas he photographed, revealing scenic landscapes, bustling urban centers, and people discovering a natural playground. Bennett’s images moved hundreds of thousands of Americans to visit the Wisconsin Dells. 

His works have been displayed worldwide including The New York Museum of Modern Art, The Smithsonian Institution, and the Center for Creative Photography. Ten of the most popular historic Bennett photographs are shown below.