1912 Harris Brothers Company Panorama View or Map of Havana, Cuba

This is a spectacular c. 1912 Harris Brothers Company panorama photographic view of Havana, Cuba. Overlooking the city from the entrance to Havana's port, the Edificio de la Lonja del Comercio de La Habana (the building with the dome which now houses the Brazilian Embassy) appears on the right. Buildings spread out along the waterfront, with church belltowers, factory smokestacks, office buildings, and other structures evident. Several large vessels ply the waters of Havana's port, along with numerous smaller boats, underscoring Havana's as an economically thriving port.

The Harris Brothers Company

The Harris Brothers Company was a department store in Havana, Cuba. Founded in 1899 by T.H. Harris and his brothers, the store prospered in Havana and became the country's largest department store. According to advertisements, Harris Brothers offered Kodak film development and printing in twenty-four hours, as well as a variety of souvenirs for tourists, including a wide range of picture postcards and views. Sometime before 1915 their department store burned down, but they built a new building at the same location, 104 O'Reilly, that opened in 1915 as the largest retail space in Cuba.

This view was published by the Harris Brothers Company c. 1912. This is the only known surviving example.