A late 19th or early 20th century photograph documents a natural rock formation identified as the “Split Boulder” in Wading River.
The image is part of a collection produced by photographer Daniel Berry Austin and his associate Adam Dove, who recorded buildings, street scenes, and landscapes across Long Island and parts of Brooklyn between approximately 1885 and 1914.
The catalog entry accompanying the photograph includes a brief descriptive caption: “Split Boulder at Wading River L.I. Colored pair lived in cabin on brook (spring near).”
In addition to identifying the boulder and location, it notes that a pair of African American residents lived in a cabin on a nearby brook, with a spring located close to the site.
Documented details from the archival record:
- The location is identified as Wading River, Long Island
- The central subject is a split boulder, a natural rock formation
- The caption records that a pair of African American residents lived in a cabin near the site
- The cabin is described as being on a brook, with a spring nearby
- The photograph was created within the period 1885 to 1914
- The image is attributed to Daniel Berry Austin
The catalog does not provide names, dates of occupancy, or additional information about the individuals referenced. No further context is included regarding the cabin or its duration of use.
The photograph is held in the Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy at the New York Public Library as part of a larger collection documenting regional landscapes and communities during that period.
Photo: Daniel Berry Austin, Split Boulder at Wading River, L.I., ca. 1885–1914. Collection of photographs by Daniel B. Austin and Adam Dove. Courtesy of the Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library.
