William Henry Jackson Painter

William Henry Jackson was one of the most prolific American artists/photographers of the late 1800's and early 1900's. He witnessed much of this nation's history, recording them with his thousands of photographs, hundreds of sketches, drawings and paintings. At the age of 23 the Civil War vet headed west, ending up in Nebraska City where he was hired by a freighting outfit bound for Montana. Along the old Oregon Trail, Jackson sketched the landmarks and lifestyles that have become a large part of the American west. After his return from the west in 1868, Jackson opened a photographic studio in Omaha. William Henry Jackson witnessed many changes in American history and with paintbrush in hand, produced dozens of oils and watercolors depicting what he had experienced firsthand. The Oregon Trail Museum at Scotts Bluff National Monument in Nebraska houses the largest collection of William Henry Jackson paintings in the world.