Cabinet cards were first introduced in the U.S. in 1866 when photography was already well known and quite common. But most people did not view it as something that they would use regularly in their own lives. Photographers had to increase their business by producing portraits that were relatively inexpensive and enticing to consumers as a mechanism to mark ordinary moments, professional achievements, or even leisure activities, not just births, deaths, and marriages. The 4"x6" format was intended to be much larger than the prevailing carte-de-visite cards and provided a much more detailed rendering of the sitter's face, clothing, and personal details they chose to include. Families made albums of their cabinet cards and kept them for entertainment and as a keepsake.
The images in this collection provide portraits of many Bridgeport area residents and were mostly produced by local studios. In many cases, scant information is available on the portrait sitter. If you recognize someone in an image for whom additional information is lacking, please contact the Bridgeport History Center.
