Costa Rica Rural and Urban Life Photo Archive, 1910s

Costa Rica Plantations

Photograph

[Latin America] Costa Rica photo archive of rural landscapes, plantations, and bustling ports circa 1910s. Archive of 11 original silver gelatin photographs, each measuring 4" x 2.5" , Each have a handwritten inscription en verso identifying locations and contextual details including San José, Cartago, Port Limón, and the “La Glory” plantation. Capturing a North American tourist’s impressions of Costa Rica in the early 20th century. The photographic content ranges from scenes of ox-drawn carts laden with goods and milk jugs to views of rail stations, plantation workers, coastal landings, and dramatic mountain vistas, offering an evocative glimpse into Costa Rican life and infrastructure during the interwar period. One photo shows a busy port scene in Port Limón with ships docked and unloading cargo, reflecting Costa Rica’s increasing importance as an export hub for U.S. fruit companies and shipping lines. Another shows the station at Cartago, once Costa Rica’s capital, with its caption noting that the city “has been destroyed four times by earth,” a reference to the devastating earthquakes that repeatedly reshaped its built environment. Many photos show multiple views of San José with ox carts in active use—still a dominant form of transportation and labor during this transitional period of industrialization. One photo is captioned “Method of carrying milk in San José” and shows a man walking beside a yoked ox with large canisters mounted on a cart, highlighting local systems of food distribution prior to refrigeration. In the years leading up to the mid-century, American travelers and businesspeople were drawn to Costa Rica for its mild climate, tropical landscapes, and relative political stability compared to other Central American nations. The rise of fruit companies like the United Fruit Company also contributed to increased shipping infrastructure and easier tourist access via cruise lines. Tourists often arrived by rail or boat and documented their experience with Kodak cameras and studio-processed prints like these, now annotated with ethnographic and personal observations. Minor wear, a few areas of adhesive residue or album remnants en verso, but all captions remain legible. Overall very good condition. A rare vernacular visual record of early 20th century Costa Rica, balancing documentary detail with the perspective of American tourism during the height of U.S. hemispheric expansion.

Item #22296

Price: $385.00