Benjamin Pierce Batchelder

Purchased in 1874 to be the first photographic parlor in Stockton. 

Showing the inside of Batchelder's place, with his many images that he and his wife Nancy displayed. 

Benjamin Pierce Batchelder was born in a daguerrian family, with photography therefore acting as something like a family business. He owned and ran portrait galleries originally in Massachusetts, then in California and Australia. 

His career began with his brother Perez as he set down roots in California and Australia, and eventually after 8 years in the photography business, he moved his work to exclusively operate out of Stockton in 1852 (Palmquist and Kailbourn). This makes Batchelder one of the very first photographers to put Stockon on the map just as it was becoming established. 

As shown, he ran his own photographic place on El Dorado street from 1871-1892, where people could purchase some of the high quality photographs pictured. Many of his images displayed people and the buildings of Stockton in general as Batchelder established himself in Stockton, while bringing attention to Stockton in general.