Now What? Picture Pages

Q. I am hoping that you can connect me with a Web site where I can post names of beautiful old portraits that I possess. They were stored in an old tin-covered basket that belonged to my ancestors. These people are friends, neighbors and business associates.

(My great-uncle was a milkman and many of them may be people on his route.) They date from the early 1900s and most were taken in Chicago. It would be wonderful to be able to return these to family members. Luckily, many of them are labeled with first and last names. Can you help me?

A. There are several ways to find owners for those portraits. You could design your own Web site and post the scanned images on it or, since you have a list of names, you could place queries on surname message boards. But before taking the time to create your own site or writing multiple messages, why not try a photo-reunion Web site?

Many sites aim to reconnect people with their “lost” or unidentified family pictures. I like <www.ancientfaces.com> and <www.deadfred.com> because they attract a fair amount of Web traffic. Be sure to read each site’s policies before you upload your images, and think about how you’ll handle responses. For instance, Joe Bott of Dead Fred’s has a waiting period for claiming images he’s found and posted on his site. He also asks for proof of a relationship in case multiple people recognize an image.

For an expanded list of photo-reunion sites, try the Photographs & Memories category of Cyndi’s List <www.cyndislist.com/photos.htm>. Or go to the Resource Guide on Family Tree Magazine‘s Web site at <www.familytreemagazine.com/resources> and search on photo reunion sites for other suggestions.