The Indiana Historical Society has a wonderful collection of photographs by Ben Winans. Though not a photographer by trade (Winans was a printer), his photographs are lovely. They all seem to have been taken in and around his home in Brookville, Indiana.

Winans captured thousands of images between 1902 to 1916. But for him, life in turn-of-the-century Brookville, Indiana would have been forgotten forever.

These photographs are high-resolution and, if you’re so inclined, they’re well-worth clicking on to see all the extra details. And with so many pictures to look through, would you care for some mariachi musical accompaniment?

 

The first image is a collage of the photographer himself.

Look at the tough guy in the front row here!

The next two pictures of are of the high school graduating class of 1903. Plenty of things surprised me in these pictures. Does anything stand out to you?

I love this next one but I must admit, it makes me long for a paintbrush to paint over the random apostrophe between the L and A!

Notice anything unusual about these fellows and their bicycles?

The last photo was taken close to home…