C. Upham

C. Upham was an American illustrator active during the later nineteenth century, known for his work in Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper during the 1870s and 1880s. His signed engravings include detailed views such as The Orange Culture on the St. John’s River, Florida from 1883 and One of the Great Industries of Detroit from 1889. Upham worked in the tradition of the “special artist,” sketching scenes of industry, transportation, and everyday life that were later engraved on wood for mass publication. His drawings reflect the growing public fascination with progress and modernization, showing workshops, shipyards, and agricultural enterprises at a time when America was rapidly expanding its industrial base.

Although little is known about his personal life, training, or full career, Upham’s surviving works show a steady hand and an eye for both accuracy and narrative. His compositions often blend the rigor of architectural draftsmanship with the energy of human activity, helping readers visualize the forces shaping the nation’s cities and industries. Through his illustrations, C. Upham contributed to the visual record of nineteenth-century America, capturing the spirit of enterprise that defined the era.