old photos of your house

[GrayHare]

In sorting old family pics I see there are also many of the house and neighborhood in which I grew up, for example, pics of the house under construction many decades ago. Other than me there are very few family members left who remember these locations, so I had an idea to print copies and send them to the current resident at that house. I do not know who currently resides there, If I received similar in the mail I'd be thrilled as I'm into historical photos, but I can also imagine some recipients might find it odd/uncomfortable/creepy to see their place before they lived there.

If you were the recipient, would you appreciate such old photos, have no interest, or would it make you feel uncomfortable? If I do mail an envelope of photos, should I include my name and return address or stay anonymous/private? I expect nothing in return.

 

[misshathaway]

If I was the recipient I would love it. I like the old photos too of our family in front of the house when the trees were still saplings. I would want your contact info so I could say thank you. I would be slightly wary if the pics came anonymously.

 

[Big_Hitter]

I'd dig it

 

[jollystomper]

Perhaps write them first, with your contact information, saying you have these items and can send them if they are interested. That way you give them the option to decide, and you will know that you are sending them to someone who wants them.

 

[Meadbh]

Perhaps write them first, with your contact information, saying you have these items and can send them if they are interested. That way you give them the option to decide, and you will know that you are sending them to someone who wants them.

+1
I would be very interested in the information, but I would not like to feel that I was being watched.

 

[target2019]

I would not do it.

If I had to do it, I would send five or so pictures in an envelope.

 

[Marita40]

I would be thrilled at your thoughtfulness! Years ago I found some historic pictures of a house near me on ebay. Bought them and sent them to the owner! They were pleased!

On the other hand lots of people aren't into this thing at all. A home for them is just a place to live and has little to no historic sentiment attached.

 

[Bestwifeever]

OTOH you might wish you hadn't put your name and address out there--they might start stalking you! We live in a very old house and no one has ever sent us old photos--a friend who grew up near here with the kids who formerly lived in this house did give us a couple of pictures once. Meh. DH would love to get old photos, I wouldn't. Just more stuff. So do what makes you happy.

One time some random people knocked on the door and said they had lived here and wanted to come in and see the house. Now that's creepy.

 

[rodi]

I'd enjoy receiving that kind of thing.

I have historic pics of my house - because I grew up in the house and bought from my dad. Any future owners will get documentary style pics of the inside of several walls. DH has a habit of taking pictures of the inside of the walls when he's got them open to work on a remodel project, to show plumbing/wiring/insulation/etc before buttoning them back up. He's added significant structural stuff (more diagonal bracing, more sheer wall, more strapping to the foundation, between floors, and to the roof, etc... ) so the future owner might appreciate knowing what is where....

 

[calmloki]

Someone left a picture of our home from the 20s in our porch mailbox - we were totally jazzed about that. Did get a bit of entertainment wondering who had left it, but were very pleased to have it. I think people with old houses dig the history they have.

We redid another old house and found a picture of it in our town museum - copied it and gave it to the person we sold the place too:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e73/calmloki/fourth st/FridayJuly0920043.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e73/calmloki/fourth st/4th.jpg

 

[travelover]

I had the original owner / builder of my 50 year old house drop by and ask if she could look around. I knew who she was and she appreciated the opportunity to relive a bit and I was able to ask a few questions about the history of the house and neighborhood. A win-win.

 

[jazz4cash]

I would love it. I sent current pictures of my hobby car to the original owner and they wrote a nice letter back to me along with some trinkets that went with the car. When I bought the car it came with detailed documentation the original owner had organized so I knew they would get a kick out of seeing a current photo. I just didn't know if they were still living let alone at the same address.

 

[6miths]

Would love it. Our house is over a hundred years old and we have lived in it for almost 20 years now. About 10 years ago someone who had grown up in the house in the 60s came to the door asking if they could have a look. We had a nice chat and they shared alot of the history of the house and the neighbourhood as they new it. A few weeks later they sent along some pictures of the house from the 60s and also some their parents had of the house in the 30s and 40s. Way cool!

 

[powerplay]

I would welcome it, but not everyone would feel that way.

My grandfather built a couple houses in the early 1900's and they are still there and looking well cared for which is nice. A few years ago my stepmom sent letters to the houses with information about the houses and asking if they were interested in additional info. There was never a response so I assume the current residents just weren't interested.

 

[Walt34]

If the house were very old I guess it would be mildly interesting but I wouldn't be all that excited about it.

 

[GrayHare]

A few years ago my stepmom sent letters to the houses with information about the houses and asking if they were interested in additional info. There was never a response so I assume the current residents just weren't interested.

This is the polite way to do this process, but since it requires action on the part of the current residents I suspect I'd not hear back from them.

 

[48Fire]

If you were the recipient, would you appreciate such old photos, have no interest, or would it make you feel uncomfortable? If I do mail an envelope of photos, should I include my name and return address or stay anonymous/private? I expect nothing in return.

I would love it! And I think you should include your name and address.

We recently received an email from our city historical guy letting us know that he has the original plans for our 110 year old house. Very exciting.

We previously had an 80-year-old couple tour our house. It was their first apartment when they were 20 and newly weds.

 

[kcowan]

I do it with google street-view. Not much difference. Taller trees and shrubs.

I think their experience in that neighborhood would bear little resemblance to what we had decades ago.

 

[ERD50]

I think it would be cool.

I don't agree with those saying ask before sending the pictures. The people would feel like they are putting you out (even though you instigated it), or afraid that you might ask for something in return afterwards (oh, can we get a tour? We'd love to see what you've done to the place!). Just send the pictures. It was before they lived there, how can it be creepy? If you sent them current pictures (we're watching you!), now that would be creepy!

Including your contact info might be less creepy than an anonymous letter? At any rate, I'd keep it super-low-key, like:

"We had these pictures printed for friends and family, and we had a few extras and thought the current residents might be interested to see what the house looked like back then. If not, excuse the intrusion, and just toss them, no big deal. But if you would like to hear more history of the house and neighborhood from the 19xx's, just contact us the address provided. And if not, that's fine too.

Either way, I hope you enjoy living there as much as we did (that is, until Uncle Ardvark herded the rest of the family into the upstairs bedroom (the one I assume you sleep in), and murdered them all with a dull pick-ax, leaving us orphans and wards of the State.) No fears, we turned out fine, despite being shuffled from one foster family to the next, and Uncle Aardvark died in prison this past year. It's all behind us now.​

-ERD50

 

[W2R]

I think it would be cool.

I don't agree with those saying ask before sending the pictures. The people would feel like they are putting you out (even though you instigated it), or afraid that you might ask for something in return afterwards (oh, can we get a tour? We'd love to see what you've done to the place!). Just send the pictures. It was before they lived there, how can it be creepy? If you sent them current pictures (we're watching you!), now that would be creepy!

Including your contact info might be less creepy than an anonymous letter? At any rate, I'd keep it super-low-key, like:

"We had these pictures printed for friends and family, and we had a few extras and thought the current residents might be interested to see what the house looked like back then. If not, excuse the intrusion, and just toss them, no big deal. But if you would like to hear more history of the house and neighborhood from the 19xx's, just contact us the address provided. And if not, that's fine too.

Either way, I hope you enjoy living there as much as we did (that is, until Uncle Ardvark herded the rest of the family into the upstairs bedroom (the one I assume you sleep in), and murdered them all with a dull pick-ax, leaving us orphans and wards of the State.) No fears, we turned out fine, despite being shuffled from one foster family to the next, and Uncle Aardvark died in prison this past year. It's all behind us now.​

-ERD50

I *LOVE* your letter and think it is the perfect way to approach this, but... I'd probably leave out the part about Uncle Aardvark! Hilarious though.

 

[FIYes]

I love to see old photos of my house so I would be thrilled to get photos like the OP is suggesting. My house was built in the twenties and I have had the granddaughter of the original owner tour the house. It was very interesting to hear her description of how the house looked when her grandparents lived here.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[Walt34]

Either way, I hope you enjoy living there as much as we did (that is, until Uncle Ardvark herded the rest of the family into the upstairs bedroom (the one I assume you sleep in), and murdered them all with a dull pick-ax, leaving us orphans and wards of the State.) No fears, we turned out fine, despite being shuffled from one foster family to the next, and Uncle Aardvark died in prison this past year. It's all behind us now.​

-ERD50

I *LOVE* your letter and think it is the perfect way to approach this, but... I'd probably leave out the part about Uncle Aardvark! Hilarious though.

Too funny! I'd be more devious though, and warn them to be on the lookout for Uncle Aardvark since he escaped from prison last week and has vowed to finish what he started and to not be taken alive.