Most of the photos on this site were extracted from reference images (high-resolution tiffs, 20 to 200 megabytes in size) from the Library of Congress research archive. (To query the database click here.) Many were digitized by LOC contractors using a Sinar studio back. They are adjusted by your webmaster for contrast and color in Photoshop before being downsized and turned into the jpegs you see here.
Born 1957, raised in small town Nebraska. My parents ran a 1900s vintage hotel with original furnishings, which may help explain my enjoyment of things Shorpy. I've worked in television production for the past 30 years or so, and am actively involved in music, playing piano, autoharp and percussion.