Salt Lake City through a German's Eyes: A Visit by Theodor Kirchhoff in 1867 EDITED AND TRANSLATED BY FREDERIC TRAUTMANN
This view of Salt Lake City looking south, presenting the back of the Beehive and Lion houses, actually postdates Kirchhoff \s visit by several years. The dark-roofed Gardo House was not begun until 1873. USHS collections.
1 HEODOR KIRCHHOFF (1828-99) was a German whose desire for adventure was exceeded only by his love of America. He fought as a lieutenant in every major battle of the Revolution of 1848, then sailed to America in 1851. He played the piano in St. Louis and washed dishes in Davenport. He was a postmaster, a bookkeeper, a paperhanger, a photographer, and an innkeeper while traveling as much as possible. In 1854 he followed the Mississippi from Minnesota to Louisiana. In 1863 he began writing about his travels. By 1869, having been to New York, Panama, California, Oregon, Idaho, and nearly everywhere in between, he had seen a lot but thought he had written about it far too little. He settled in San Francisco, started a profitable jewelry and optical business, and was Dr. Trautmann is associate professor of speech, Temple University, Pennsylvania.
