Photo Detective -old photo research

1. Episode 268: The Wreck of the Mentor: Eric Jay Dolin on Whaling, Shipwrecks, and Maritime Family History

     What happens when an ordinary New Bedford whaling voyage turns into one of the most extraordinary survival stories in American maritime history? In this episode of The Photo Detective, I talk with bestselling maritime historian Eric Jay Dolin, author of The Wreck of the Mentor. Dolin has written more than seventeen acclaimed books on […]

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2. I Tested ChatGPT on a Family Photograph. Here’s What It Got Right—and Wrong

   What happens when you use a photograph you already know well as a test case for ChatGPT? I decided to find out. I uploaded a photograph I took during a Fourth of July parade. I was confident about when it was taken, where it was taken, and who was riding on the float. It seemed […]

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3. Photo Detective Tip: What Flags Can Tell You

   Discover how family photographs can reveal Fourth of July traditions through flags. Share your family's patriotic photos and stories

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4. Looking for Faces of the American Revolution

   Twenty-five years ago, I held a daguerreotype in my hands and thought, “This man is old enough to have witnessed the American Revolution.” The owner of the image confirmed that it was his ancestor, a Loyalist sympathizer. That moment changed the course of my research. What followed became The Last Muster Project, resulting in two […]

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5. What Were Your Ancestors Doing During America’s Centennial Year?

   As we approach the nation’s 250th anniversary, I’ve been thinking about an earlier milestone—the Centennial celebration of 1876. Officially known as the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures, and Products of the Soil and Mine, the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia was the first major World’s Fair held in the United States. Covering 285 acres in Fairmount […]

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