This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
This photograph is a part of the online photography exhibit “Form and Landscape,” a collaborative project from William Deverell and Greg Hise. In this exhibit, Deverell and Hise share some of the more than 70,000 photos currently held by The Huntington Library in their Southern California Edison archive. These archives document the electrification of the greater Los Angeles area, with photographs taken across California from the late nineteenth century to the 1970s. This photograph appears in a virtual gallery with comments by Catherine Opie.
"...we often search for the personal within a sea of images, and the acknowledgement of how important images are in mapping history." ~Catherine Opie
Photo Credit: Joseph Fadler, El Segundo Steam Station, December 1968. Southern California Edison Collection, courtesy of The Huntington Library, Art Collections.