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Building on the Banks of the Niger River

Image Architecture
Single-story building with a pitched roof and decorative porch on the banks of the Niger River.
A building on the Niger River. Photographed by William Henry Crosse, Royal Niger Company, circa 1886-1895.

This monochrome lantern slide, taken between 1886 and 1895 by Dr. William Henry Crosse, depicts a single-story building on the banks of the Niger River in Nigeria. The structure features a pitched gable roof with an organic covering and an elongated front porch supported by decorative wooden latticed elements. Tall vegetation and a calm body of water occupy the foreground, while rolling hills and distant structures are visible in the background. The photograph was part of a series documenting the operations of the Royal Niger Company.

Community Notes

Onyeka Nwokike

Apr 23, 2026

The structure is representative of the early colonial architectural style used by the Royal Niger Company between 1886 and 1895. During this period, the company established various administrative and trading outposts, known as stations, along the Niger and Benue Rivers. These sites typically utilized pre-fabricated or locally adapted bungalows featuring organic materials and decorative wooden elements before the company transitioned to more permanent brick construction.

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