The First Rule of Historical Photo Research

In the 1900s, cameras often used glass plates. You could not take too many of them on a trip. Fragile and heavy, glass plates had to be rationed and used for the most exiting encounters.

In other words, no matter how common the picture appears to you today, it probably captures something important--a popular tourist attraction, a significant event, or a renowned individual. We call it the First Rule of Historical Photo Research. Just look for the right clues.

This blog tells stories of some difficult to recognize photos from our collection. Discovering their stories is a delightful detective job. So get out your magnifying glasses and let's go!