Following the devastation of the Civil War, communities in 1867 Georgia had to completely rebuild their local economies and social structures from the ground up. In what ways do the characters in Moment in Time reflect the real-world struggles of southerners trying to find a new identity and purpose during the Reconstruction era?

In the 1860s, early photography required long exposure times, meticulous chemical processing, and capturing a single, frozen moment in time. How does understanding the slow, deliberate nature of 19th-century photography help us appreciate the patience required by the characters—and by us—when waiting for truth to come to light?

Dr. Edward Meriweather serves as a military surgeon during a transitional period in medical history. What unique challenges did 19th-century medical professionals face when treating both the physical wounds of war and the hidden emotional trauma we now recognize as PTSD?

Marietta, Georgia, was a site of significant conflict during the Atlanta Campaign and faced immense destruction. How does the physical setting of a town actively recovering from war mirror the emotional and spiritual restoration taking place inside the characters’ hearts?

Nineteenth-century photography was often viewed with a mix of awe and suspicion, as it captured reality exactly as it was, sometimes revealing details the human eye missed. How does this theme of “revealing the hidden” play into the mystery elements of the story, and what does it teach us about the things we try to keep hidden from others—and from God?

A Brief History of Early Marietta & Cobb County

Settlers began flowing into Cobb County after the state government opened Cherokee land in 1832. While this action displaced many Cherokee families further north, the tribe maintained a presence in North Georgia until the forced removal of 1838. The Georgia legislature named the new county after Thomas Willis Cobb—a prominent lawyer, legislator, and judge—and officials laid out the village of Marietta in 1833, officially incorporating it in 1834. Local tradition holds that the new town was named for Cobb’s wife, Mary “Polly” Moore Cobb.

During those early years, local tradition dictated that Cherokee traders entering the village leave their weapons at a massive oak tree on Henry Cole’s property. Known as “Cole’s Oak” or the “Indian Treaty Tree” (located near modern-day Washington Avenue and Cole Street), this landmark served as a neutral boundary—a reflection of the underlying tensions as white settlers continually encroached on native lands.

The Town Character & The Morning Roll Call

Among Marietta’s most colorful early figures was James B. Waller, who represented Cobb County in the state legislature and operated a general store out of his home. Stocked with daily essentials, plus what locals considered the finest alcohol in the village—Waller’s store quickly became the social heart of the community.

A master storyteller with a sharp wit, Waller began every morning at sunrise by stepping onto his porch and shouting out to waking citizens by name. His humorous commentary on their daily habits and personalities was eagerly repeated across town all day. Waller always ended his morning “roll call” with fellow settler Josiah Massey—letting the whole village know the morning wake-up call was officially complete.

Growth, Devastation, and Rebuilding

The arrival of the Western & Atlantic Railroad in 1836 transformed Marietta’s future. In 1838, wealthy planter John Heyward Glover arrived with his family. While they initially built a grand plantation house named Bushy Park outside of town, Mrs. Glover craved social interaction, prompting Glover to build a townhouse near the Square that still stands today. Glover launched multiple successful enterprises, including a massive tannery that shipped leather goods as far away as New York markets. In 1850, citizens elected him as Marietta’s first mayor, and he generously donated the central land that remains the heart of the city today: Glover Park.

Before the Civil War, Marietta enjoyed a glowing reputation as a resort town, drawing visitors to its pleasant mountain air and mineral springs. But the war brought that golden era to a sudden, painful end. In 1864, General Sherman’s troops burned much of the city and destroyed the vital railroad lines, leaving the remaining residents to face severe hardship, loss, and poverty.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It is against this rich backdrop of post-war resilience, hidden secrets, and a town striving to rebuild itself

during Reconstruction in 1867 that my novel, MOMENT IN TIME, unfolds.

In the 19th century, photography transformed how humans recorded history, evolving rapidly from a rare chemical miracle into a vital art form. Understanding the early methods reveals just how much skill, chemistry, and speed were required to capture a single moment.

1. The Daguerreotype (Introduced 1839)

The first publicly available photographic process, the daguerreotype, produced stunningly detailed images on silver-plated copper sheets. However, the process had a major limitation: it created a direct positive image with no negative. Each portrait was a fragile, mirror-like, one-of-a-kind artifact that could not be duplicated or reproduced.

2. The Calotype (Introduced 1841)

Invented as a rival to the daguerreotype, the calotype introduced the concept of using paper negatives to produce multiple paper prints. While revolutionary in its ability to replicate images, the fibrous texture of the paper negative resulted in softer, slightly blurry details. As a result, it was less popular than the mirror-sharp daguerreotype.

3. The Wet Plate Collodion Process (1851–1880s)

The true breakthrough came with the invention of the wet plate collodion process, which combined the razor-sharp clarity of the daguerreotype with the reproducibility of the calotype.

To create an image, the photographer coated a glass or iron plate with collodion—a viscous, sticky liquid—and bathed it in light-sensitive silver nitrate.

4.  A Race Against the Clock

The defining feature of wet plate photography was its extreme urgency. The chemical emulsion was only sensitive to light while wet. Photographers had to:

• Coat the plate

• Sensitize it in the dark

• Load it into the camera

• Expose the shot

• Develop and fix the image before the liquid dried (usually within 5 to 10 minutes)

If the plate dried before development was complete, the image was ruined. Photographers in the field had to carry portable darkrooms, tents, or wagons filled with volatile chemicals wherever they went.

5.  Glass vs. Metal: Multiple Prints or Instant Keepsakes

What happened after exposure depended entirely on the base material used:

• Glass Plates (Negatives): If the image was captured on glass, it created a sharp negative. From this single glass plate, a photographer could print infinite copies onto silver-sensitized paper (most commonly albumen paper made with egg whites).

• Metal Plates (Tintypes): If the photographer used a thin sheet of dark, lacquered iron instead of glass, the result was a tintype (or ferrotype). Like the older daguerreotype, a tintype produced a single, direct-positive image that could not be duplicated. However, tintypes were cheap, durable, waterproof, and could be handed to the customer within minutes—making them wildly popular for soldiers, travelers, and everyday working people

• Henry Dawson, the photographer in MOMENT IN TIME, used the wet plate collodion process.