Wednesday, December 6, 2006

Old Family Photos

The latest Rootsweb Review listed several web sites with ephemera - photos, artifacts, etc. They include:

1) http://www.familyoldphotos.com/ -- there are over 18,000 old family photos online for browsing and download. These are reader submitted. You can search them by surname or by locality. There are special sections for Civil War photos, unknown photos, railroad photos, fire department photos and circus photos. This is a way to share your old photos with others, especially if you have group shots and know who all the people are.

2) http://www.fordnagle.com/ -- Antique Family Photograph Archives. A collection of antique photographs of individuals and family groups, taken from the Civil War period (1861-65) up to about 1910. These are originals with data that identifies the individual(s). These are, for the most part, tintypes, cartes-de-visite or cabinet cards. Some are large group photographs. There is a minimal charge for returning these original items. Note that you cannot save these pictures - there is a list of them and you have to contact the web page owners.

3) http://www.yourpastconnections.com/ -- Photographs, letters, marriage and birth certificates, Bibles, funeral cards, diplomas, postcards, etc. Submitters of "Available Items" specify an asking price which isdisplayed in the search results. Sometimes, the only cost requested is the cost of postage. When someone searches the database of "Available Items" and finds an item that they would like to acquire, they fill in a form on the website and an e-mail message is automatically sent to the person who owns the item. From then on, arrangements for payment and shipping are made between the two parties involved. Your Past Connections sets up the initial contact and does not charge either party for this service. Again, you see only a list, not the actual item.

4) http://www.heirloomslost.com/ -- Designed to put people directly in touch with each other regarding lost family treasures. This is also a sales site, but you can also put your name on a "Want" list.

If you are looking for photographs of your families, check these sites - you never know what might turn up.

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