Chas Waldack

Chas Waldack was a photographer whose documented career centers around the year 1866. His known output is defined by a significant series of documentary landscape photographs focused on the natural world, specifically the geological formations of the Mammoth Cave system in Kentucky.

Fourteen of Waldack’s photographic works are represented in museum collections, establishing the historical importance of his output. These works are held by institutions including the Art Institute of Chicago. All documented pieces belong to the series Mammoth Cave Views.

The photographs in this series provide detailed visual records of the cave's interior, often employing specific numbering systems for identification. Notable known works from the series include "Bandit Hall" (No. 30), "Gorin's Dome" (No. 18), "Deserted Chamber" (No. 17), and the documentation of "Grand Crossing" (No. 25). The series also features combined views, such as "Bottomless Pit" and "Bridge of Sighs" (No. 19). Given their production date, many surviving Chas Waldack prints are now available in the public domain, often issued as high-quality prints suitable for study.