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Photo albums have been somewhat relegated to something the generation before us did, however, you’d be surprised not just how easy it is to make a historical photo album but the joy and memories that it can unearth.
What if you could have a collection of the best photos from your childhood right at your fingertips? What if you could share those memories with your kids and grandkids, so they can see what life was like before they were born? What if you didn’t have to worry about losing those pictures because they were all in one place and not scattered across several different people’s houses?
Well, guess what! You CAN do all of this—and more—with a historical photo album. You don’t have to worry if you have no idea how to make a family history book. It’s a simple process that only takes a few hours (depending on how many photos you want to put in it), and it’s well worth it. Here’s why you should make one:
Creating a historical photo album – why you need to do it
Old photos can draw in relatives and make family reunions more fun
Old photos provide a way to get your relatives talking. They can be of the family in their heyday, or they can be of old friends or neighbours who have since died. Either way, people will enjoy seeing themselves as young and carefree!
In addition to giving you a chance to reminisce about past times, old photos also provide a great opportunity for everyone in the family (or group of friends) to gather around and discuss what they remember about the event being photographed.
An old photo album is a great conversation starter
You can talk about the people in the photos. Why do they look so serious? Were they just trying to take a good picture, or was something else going on that day?
You can talk about things happening in the world at the time. Why did everyone wear hats and gloves? Was it cold outside, or were these special occasions for some reason?
You can talk about how things were in your family’s life: Do you remember the last time you saw Uncle Fred before moving to South Carolina to live with his sister after his wife died of cancer? How did he look here compared to earlier photos where he’s still wearing sideburns and has long hair down his back?
You might discover interesting things about your family’s history
You may be surprised at what you find out. For instance, you may discover that your great-great-grandmother was born in 1875, married at age 19 and died at age 57. Or maybe you’ll learn that your grandmother moved from Utah to Oregon when she was a teenager.
You might also uncover interesting family stories. For example, an ancestor was a war hero or someone who lived through the Great Depression or survived a shipwreck during the Gold Rush era. Maybe they were artists who painted landscapes of Alaska’s Denali National Park before it became a national park in 1917!
Conclusion
Perhaps this article has inspired you to start creating some historical photo albums! If so, there are many different ways to do so; all it takes is some time and creativity. You could collect pictures into one big album or make separate albums for each event, each year, or each person featured in them
