Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Six Snapshots of Strangers

Photos that have lost their families


At an antique store recently, I saw a big box of old snapshots, priced three for a dollar. I invested $2 and chose six photos that interested me.

"Time Out" has the most information of any of the photos, In addition to the caption on the front side, someone wrote, "July 12, 1936. Richfield County Park," on the back side.

I thought "Time Out" was a great title, so I took the challenge and gave the other photos two-word names, too. The captions are strictly from my imagination, based on what I saw in the pictures. I would love to hear your titles, too -- two-word, or otherwise.

It's a shame that these photos are orphans -- and worse than that, unidentified. I'm going to assume the people in the photos had families or friends that cared about them. After all, someone took their pictures.

"Time Out"
July 12, 1936. Richfield County Park

Day's end

Sunday shoes
(stamped July 16, 1937, on the back)

Parlor games

Windy wait

Uncle Eddie

3 comments:

Runawayimagination said...

Orphaned pictures are sad. I recall going through a trunk full of pictures in Gordon, NE after my granddad died in 1977. None of the pictures were labeled, so it was impossible to know who most of the people were, although I knew that most of them had some connection to my ancestry. But in the end I picked out some interesting ones and left the rest behind, where they may remain today.

I get a similar feeling at Cracker Barrel restaurants, which are decorated with old pictures. I always wonder who these people were and wish I knew their stories.

Folkways Note Book said...

Liked your idea of giving the two word names to the photos. I find the photos interesting for what they tell us about the 30s. Their clothes, furniture, etc. To the last commentator RunAwayImagination one can piece the lifestyle of the family through a compilation of old photos even if one does not know the names. I'd go back and get the rest of the photos. Enjoyed the post!-- Barbara

Debbie Reed said...

As my mother is the "archivist" for several limbs of my family tree, I have spent a lifetime looking at old photos such as these and having someone comment on "uncle so and so" or "aunt somebody". I get a kick out of looking at pictures of other families and seeing my relatives or my family in them. Church photos always have several members of "my family" identifiable, no matter which denomination or state. thanks for sharing these

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