Genealogy Club – Photo Detective Night

Have you ever come across an old family photograph and wondered, “Who are these people?” or “When was this picture taken?”

We invite you to join us for our next Genealogy Club meeting on Thursday, November 19, 2026, at 6:00 PM, when we'll put on our detective hats for a fun and interactive evening!

PHOTO DETECTIVE NIGHT – WHO IS THAT?

Dating & Identifying Old Family Photographs

Meeting Details:
Thursday, November 19, 2026
6:00 PM
Stevens Museum Basement – John Hay Center
307 E. Market Street, Salem, IN 47167
812-883-6495

What can an old photograph tell us?

You might be surprised how many clues are hiding in plain sight! During our meeting, we'll explore how to use:

Clothing and hairstyles to help determine when a photograph was taken.

Vehicles, buildings, and backgrounds to identify possible dates and locations.

Photograph formats and photographer imprints to narrow down when and where a picture was made.

Census records, newspapers, and family timelines to help identify the people in your photographs.

BRING YOUR MYSTERY PHOTOGRAPHS!

Do you have an old family photograph with unidentified people, an unknown location, or a mysterious date? Bring it along! We'll examine the clues together and see what we can discover.

Even if you don't have a mystery photograph, come enjoy the presentation, share your experiences, and learn some new techniques for researching and preserving your family history.

Everyone is welcome! You do not need to be a member of the Historical Society or have any genealogy experience to attend.

Please feel free to invite friends and family members who might be interested in discovering more about their ancestors.

Every photograph has a story. Let's work together to uncover it!

We hope to see you on November 19!

Event Information

Event Date 11-19-2026 6:00 pm

Photo of John Milton HayWho was John Hay?

Statesman, Author, Ambassador

John Hay was a great American statesman, diplomat, author and poet, whose political career spanned over 50 years.  He was born in a small brick home in Salem, Indiana, on October 8, 1838.

After John displayed considerable potential in his schooling, his Uncle Milton Hay, who was a practicing lawyer in Springfield, Illinois, took a special interest and sent him to Brown University, where he graduated in 1858. 

In 1860, when John Hay’s childhood friend, John Nicolay, was appointed Abraham Lincoln’s presidential campaign secretary, he was brought on board to assist with the enormous amount of correspondence. 

Hay grew to adore President Lincoln for his goodness, patience, understanding, sense of humor, humility, magnanimity, healthy skepticism, sense of justice, resilience and power, love of the common man and mystical patriotism. Many later noted that Lincoln too, loved Hay as a son and was very attached to him.

In 1903, after years of negotiating treaties, Hay successfully passed legislation that afforded the United States the opportunity to start construction on the Panama Canal. 

Brown University’s John Hay Library was named in his honor, as was the John Hay Air Base, in the Philippines and both his birth home, in Salem, Indiana and his summer estate, The Fells, in New Hampshire, have been historically conserved. 

John Hay Center Hours of Operation

Thursdays - 10:00am – 5:00pm
Fridays - 10:00am – 5:00pm
Saturdays - 10:00am – 5:00pm

Tour Pricing

Self-Guided Tours

Adult (Age 18+) - Donation
Child (Age 6-17) - Donation

Guided Tours

Complete Comprehensive Tour
(Museum,Pioneer Village, The Depot)
Adult (Age 18+) - Tour Price  $20.00
Child (Ages 6-17) - Tour Price $10.00
Guided Tours - Free to Members

Steven's Museum Guided Tour
(Approximate 2 hour Tour)
Adult (Age 18+) -  Tour Price $7.00
Child (Ages 6-17) - Tour Price $4.00
Guided Tours - Free to Members

Pioneer Village
(Approximate 1 hour Tour)
Adult (Age 18+) - Tour Price $7.00
Child (Ages 6-17) - $4.00
Guided Tours - Free to Members

The Depot Railroad Museum
(Approximate 1 hour Tour)
Adult (Age 18+) - $7.00
Child (Ages 6-17) - $4.00
Guided Tours - Free to Members

School Tours

Private & Public School Tours: $3.00 per student/parent (Teachers free & 10 student minimum)

Private Tours

Scheduled Private Tours (More than 5 Guests) (Minimum $50)

Additional Information

*All regular tours are free for Life Members
*Children under 5 are free

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