Animal Power Collection

Coal mine in England, 1850s
Removing coal in the Bradley mine, Staffordshire, England, 1850s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th century illustration

Erie Canal barge at Troy, New York
Barge on the Erie Canal at West Troy, New York, in the late 1800s. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of a 19th-century illustration

Logging in Wisconsin, 1800s
Hauling logs with a horse-drawn sledge in northern Wisconsin, 1880s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Shackletons Manchurian ponies, Antarctica, 1908
Manchurian ponies used by Shackleton in the Antarctic, 1908-09. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of a photograph

Erie Canal at Schenedtady, New York
Erie Canal barge towed through Schenectady, New York, 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Spanish familys ox-cart, California, 1800s
Spanish family traveling by oxcart, Californis, 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a Frederic Remington illustration

Plowing rice paddies with water buffalo
Using water buffalo to plow rice paddies in China. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Ancient Egyptian agriculture
Farmers plowing, sowing, and harvesting grain in ancient Egypt. Engraving with a watercolor wash

BUSN2A-00095
Loggers with an ordinary haul on an ox-drawn sledge, Minnesota, 1890s. Hand-colored halftone of a 19th-century photograph

NATI2A-00174
Pueblo farmer plowing the soil near Laguna Pueblo, New Mexico, 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

A plaustrum
5307965 A plaustrum.; (add.info.: Illustration depicting a plaustrum - an ancient Egyptian open chariot drawn by oxen. Dated 19th century. 01/01/1850); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Reaping wheat by machine in the 1850s near Syracuse NY
NWI4695033 Reaping wheat by machine in the 1850s near Syracuse NY.; (add.info.: Reaping wheat by machine in the 1850s near Syracuse NY.); Photo © North Wind Pictures.

Widtsoe land use adjustment project, Garfield County, Utah, 1936. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Widtsoe land use adjustment project. Garfield County, Utah. Excavating new spillway of Tropic Dam

Agriculture in the Middle Ages
Peasants sowing and cultivating fields outside a walled town in the Middle Ages. Printed halftone reproduction of a medieval manuscript miniature

Sialkot, late 19th-early 20th century. Creator: Unknown
Sialkot, late 19th-early 20th century. Animal-powered water wheel in Sialkot, Punjab, India (now in Pakistan). Postcard

US soldiers in the Philippines after the Spanish-American War, 1899
Water-buffalo dragging guns of the US Armys Utah battery into position against Filipino insurgents, 1899. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of a 19th-century photograph

Mules towing a barge on the Erie Canal
Grain-boat towed by a mule team on the Erie Canal, 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Los Angeles when a Mexican village
Mexican pulque carrier in Los Angeles, 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th century illustration

An outing on the Erie Canal in the early 1800s
Passengers enjoying a cruise on the Erie Canal, 1820s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

PPRE2A-00181
James A. Garfield as a boy, working as a mule rider towing a canal boat. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

BUSN2A-00176
Miners digging and loading coal into an underground mule-drawn cart in Pennsylvania, 1860s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

PASI2A-00004
Marco Polo transported in Kublai Khans elephant car during visit to China, 1200s. Hand-colored 19th-century woodcut reproduction of an earlier engraving

HOUS2A-00147
Neighbors celebrating Christmas Eve with a sleigh ride, 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

AGRI2A-00107
Farmer plowing sod with a team of horses, 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Cotton-press, 1800s
African-American workers baling cotton in a cotton-press, 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

NATI2A-00202
Dogs pulling travois to carry water for Native American women, western plains. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

HOUS2A-00081
Large team of oxen pulling a barn at a moving-bee, 1870s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

AGRI2A-00090
Clearing farmland in spring for planting, using ox and horse teams to plow and pull stumps. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

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"Unleashing the Untamed: The Power of Animals Throughout History" From the depths of a coal mine in England during the 1850s to an Erie Canal barge gliding through Troy, New York; from logging expeditions in Wisconsin during the 1800s to Shackleton's Manchurian ponies braving Antarctica in 1908 - animals have been our steadfast companions, harnessing their incredible strength for our progress. As we journey along the Erie Canal at Schenectady, New York, we witness how animal power propelled trade and commerce, transforming cities and connecting communities. A Spanish family's ox-cart traverses California's rugged terrain in the 1800s, reminding us of their indispensable role in transportation and agriculture. In distant lands like Egypt, ancient civilizations harnessed animal power for agricultural purposes. From plowing rice paddies with water buffalo to cultivating crops on fertile Nile banks - these creatures were instrumental in sustaining societies. Even as time progressed into the Middle Ages and beyond, animal power remained vital. Agriculture flourished with horses tilling fields and pulling heavy loads. Sialkot witnessed this transformation firsthand during the late 19th-early 20th century when unknown hands captured images of animals aiding farmers' endeavors. The legacy of "animal power" echoes through history - it symbolizes resilience, adaptability, and collaboration between humans and nature. It reminds us that even amidst technological advancements today; there is something profound about honoring our roots by acknowledging how these magnificent creatures shaped our past. So let us celebrate these unsung heroes who carried humanity forward on their sturdy backs or pulled us closer together through canals and rivers. Let us recognize that behind every great feat lies an untold story of loyalty and partnership between man and beast – a testament to the enduring bond shared across generations.