With tens of thousands of records spanning hundreds of years, the people who work on Worthington Memory have seen a lot! We asked staff at Worthington Libraries and the Worthington Historical Society to select some favorites that stand out from the crowd.
Kate LaLonde, director of the Worthington Historical Society, shares why she likes an 1885 portrait of Cornelia and Winfield Vest, who refused to remove his hat for the portrait due to a recent haircut: "This feels very relatable; bad hair days were a thing even in the 1800s!"
Regarding an 1851 daguerreotype of Achsa Maynard Johnson, she shares: "I like this one because it is a very early daguerreotype, and this is one of the earliest we have of a woman who was a pioneer who came to Ohio in the earliest years. We often see paintings and photographs of important men, less of women; but the Johnsons had daguerreotypes made together in 1851, which feels very special."
The 1890 photo of the Bishop and Lewis General Store piques LaLonde's imagination: "I love the details revealed in the caption about the telephone behind the hammock, and that all of the people are waiting in a line looking north. This is a building that is still there and where people pass everyday; it is rare in early photographs of Worthington buildings to have people, so that also sets this apart and makes it easier to imagine life in the time of the photo."
Another 1890 photo, this one of the Beers Tavern, holds architectural appeal: "One of the most high-style buildings in the Federal Architecture styles, this is the only photograph of this building that stood where the library now stands. The three stories in the center with the fanlights and Palladian features are more high-style than any other building that has been recorded in the village; it would have been a sight to see. And when we find photographs with people in them, like this photo, I always wonder who they are and what their stories might have been."
Worthington Libraries staffer Hillary Kline shares why she likes a 1910 photo of the Snouffer boys fishing: "This image was giving Huck Finn vibes. Also, could Fritz be more adorable?!"
About a 1919 photo of Ellen Gloyd and another child sitting outside with a chicken and dog, she says, "I’m a sucker for just about any image with animals in it. I’m also pretty sure that as a child I had the same haircut as Ellen (thanks, Mom)!"
Mary Russell, pictured in her garden in 1930, appeals to Hillary, who calls it, "Just a lovely, serene scene. I wish I could tour this gorgeous property!"
Hillary is in awe of the 1978 photo of the Old Rectory being moved on a flatbed truck: "What an incredible feat and so like Worthington to go to such lengths to save a piece of its history."
And she shares this about a 2007 photo of librarian Ann Pechacek, who passed away in 2021: "This is Ann in her element; she loved working with teens. I miss her so much."
Meredith Southard, another Worthington Libraries staffer, adores the 1895 photo of the Griswold sisters: "Everything about this photo, from their clothes to their poses to the bicycle propped in the background, is so classic."
A 1960 of Charles Tuller and Charles Wing is also appealing: "I love the spontaneous moment of laughter captured here."
About a 1980 photo of Sharon Township Firefighters During Vehicle Extraction Training, Meredith says, "It's fascinating to see this look behind the scenes at firefighters training in lifesaving measures. The photo is also so 1980, with everything from their clothing, glasses and hair to the Datsun sign in the background." Speaking of '80s vibes, Meredith also likes the scene of pure silliness happening with the 1982 group of people laughing and relaxing in chairs at the Old Worthington Library following the in-library wedding of one of the staffers, Rachel Alexander.
Kara Reuter from Worthington Libraries shares that her favorite items in Worthington Memory are portraits: "Sometimes we look at decades-old photos and they look 'old timey' and feel distant, but some photos manage to feel modern and make it easier to comprehend that these are people like us living lives like ours. Even though he appears in a tintype from more than 150 years ago, I can imagine seeing Adolphus Tuller in line at the post office today. And the century old baby picture of Ellen Gloyd wouldn’t look out of place from those taken today."
Of particular interest to Kara are group portraits. "I love to zoom in on the 1900 group portrait of the 16 women, including Helen Robinson, and just pore over their hairstyles and outfits and facial expressions. But most of all, I come back to the portrait of the Calloway, Carter, Doughty, Lee, Matthews Family. I wonder what was happening in that very moment the photo was taken that caused Stacey Calloway to stifle laughter and Helen Matthews and Dorothy Lee to look askance—I can just imagine the hustle and bustle of the family gathering that pauses for just a moment and then continues on."
Have a look at the staff favorites below, but don't stop there. Be sure to check out the rest of the entries in our scrapbook to find some favorites of your own!
