The Historic Studio of H. H. Bennett

Outfitted as H. H. Bennett, a
historical interpreter mixes chemicals
in Bennett's original darkroom.

The historic 1875 studio in which H. H. Bennett established his legacy offers a window to the life and times of the pioneering photographer. Visitors enter the studio — now restored to its appearance in 1908, the year of Bennett's death — through the workroom where he manufactured the stereo cards he sold by the thousands. From there, surrounded by original furnishings, tools and hand-operated equipment that kept the manufacturing operation going year-round, visitors can view the darkroom where Bennett developed his glass-plate negatives and made his finished prints. A few steps away is the "operating room," illuminated by a skylight that provided a source of natural light for Bennett's portrait photography. And while he is most well known for his breathtaking landscape photographs, Bennett produced many fine portraits in this room, including several of the native Ho-Chunk people with whom he established both personal and professional relationships. Beyond the portrait room stands the sales room, which Bennett stocked with mounted photographs, stereo cards, and a variety of souvenirs and Native American crafts for sale to tourists who — thanks in large part to Bennett — began to discover the beauty of the Wisconsin Dells in growing numbers.

View a history of the H. H. Bennett Studio restoration project.