It all started simple enough. When I photographed a wedding I would get a shot of the church when I (nearly always) had extra frames on the film.

Because of this, the Watsonville, California Historical Society has a photograph of every church in the city. (I went by the Jewish temple and took a photo just to be nice.)

Well, they are nice folks, and I have been giving them photos of events, historical markers and buildings and a few street scenes (Like downtown decorated for Christmas.)

I mention this because they give out receipts for donations of items (like photos) and I occasionally use these for a tax deduction. (Occasionally because I now don't often make enough to be able to use charity deductions in the tax forms.)

With digital, it is easier (and far less expensive) to give them a CD of historical events and places.

Hunting historical venues has been a bit exciting. I actually found an ADDRESS RESTRICTED historical landmark by looking up news stories of a protest on the site and checking the photographs for familiar views.

To be sure, having my name attached to so many photographs has made a few (young) researchers wonder if I am related to the photographer who did so many shots long ago. That aside, there is no glory to helping out the local history lovers.

It has been fun. I recommend it. I have found many odd things.

The smallest state park in the county. (About one acre, if you include the parking lot.)
A road that has been partially underwater since the area was made part of a wildlife refuge.
http://localwiki.net/santacruz/Harkins_Slough_Road
An area named for a river that never existed. (Rio Del Mar in California.)
An historic landmark that was razed, but still listed.


Of course, some historic societies are better than others.