Local Historian Shares Antique Photos

May be a black-and-white image of one or more people, outdoors and tree
A photo of unknown subjects that Brian Allen discovered at a garage sale recently.

Brian Allen, a local historian in his spare time, likes to collect old items and if he can, reunite them with family members.

Brian Allen. Submitted photo.

At a recent garage sale, Allen found some antique glass photo negatives circa, he believes, the 1890s to the 1910s.

“I found the negatives and the photos at a local garage sale two weeks ago,” Allen said. “I have always collected vintage Fort Scott items.”

Along with many items in a box, there were 13 glass negatives, he said.

“I have a scanner that can make negatives into photos,” Allen said. “They were very dark, and without the scanner, it would have been almost impossible to make them out even with a bright light.”

Allen has been sharing photos online for several months now.

“The photos do depict some local scenes,” he said. “One is clearly the old (Fort Scott)High School, and one is taken from the side of a house across the street from the school.”

The photo finds are posted in the Historical Fort Scott and Surrounding Areas group on Facebook, as well as the Bourbon County Historical Preservation Association page, he said.

“The ones on the HPA page belong to the organization,” Allen said.  “I have posted well over well over 100 photos. I have been able to reunite about 30 photos with family members during this time, as well as a family Bible to a family in Texas.”

“I love to be able to return these old items to a family,” he said. “If someone wants to contact me about any of the photos, please just send me a message on Facebook.”

One thought on “Local Historian Shares Antique Photos”

  1. Any idea who the Marine Private is in the top photo. He has eight years in service and is wearing his dress blues?

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