Underwood & Underwood was established in 1882 by Elmer and Ben Underwood in Ottawa, Kansas. The company originally focused on distributing Eastern photographers' stereographs in the West through a network of door-to-door salesmen. In 1887 the headquarters of the company were moved to New York, though manufacturing continued to take place in Ottawa with the building of a plant in 1891 to manufacture stereographic cameras, stereoviews and stereoscopes. By 1901 Underwood & Underwood was a leader in stereographic image production and distribution. In 1920 the company divested itself of its stereograph productions, selling their stock and rights to the Keystone View Company. Underwood & Underwood ceased operations in the 1940s.