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In another, two women stand behind the counter of what might be a neighborhood grocery store, with boxes of Kix, Cheerios and Wheaties on the top shelf behind them.
In a third photo, three men pose next to a truck behind what appears to be a commercial building of some sort.
The La Crosse Public Library is asking the public to help solve a mystery — who are all these people? And when and where were these photos taken?
The library archives have a large collection of old photos and lacks identifying information on many of them.
In cooperation with the La Crosse County Historical Society, the library will host a Photo ID event from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 7, in the young adult area on the first floor of the library, 800 Main St.
Longtime La Crosse-area residents and history buffs are especially encouraged to help identify photos, library archivist Anita Doering said.
The library will provide magnifying devices and transportation to the event for people who need it. Anyone who needs a ride should call library director Kelly Krieg-Sigman at (608) 789-7123 by 5 p.m. Friday, March 5.
The historical society will provide refreshments in its museum, which is in the same building as the library.
"We could easily have 50 to 100 photos" for people to identify at the event, Doering said. "With some pictures, we have an idea of the decade but don't know who's in them" or where the photo was taken.
Many of the library archives' photos were donated by individuals, many of whom had no information on the who, what or where of the picture. Some were donated by a child or grandchild after the original owner died.
Some photos offer clues, although there is no information on the back of the print.
For example, "This is Main Hall at UW-L," Doering said, pointing to the background in a photo of five people in front of a brick building. "It looks like it might have been taken around 1910, just by the way they're dressed." But she doesn't know the names of the people in the photo, or exactly when it was taken.
She also is curious about a photo that shows 14 girls wearing dresses and holding umbrellas, outdoors near a building from which hangs a sign with the name "Lyric." It's possible that was the Lyric theater, which was on the south side of Main Street between Third and Fourth streets and closed in 1915, Doering said. But she has her doubts about that, because the building in the photo looks like it was built of wood.
The Photo ID session was the idea of Krieg-Sigman, who wants it to be an annual event. She approached historical society executive director Carl Miller about the idea, and he approved. Next year's event might include some of the historical society's photos as well as the library's.
"The more (photos) we can identify, the better it is for everybody," Krieg-Sigman said.
Another benefit, she said, is that the event "gets people into the (historical society) museum and the library, and provides information that's beneficial to both entities."
Steve Cahalan can be reached at scahalan@lacrossetribune.com or (608) 791-8229.
PHOTO ID EVENT
WHAT: The La Crosse Public Library, in cooperation with the La Crosse County Historical Society, is encouraging longtime La Crosse-area residents and history buffs to help identify photos for which the library archives lacks information. The Photo ID event is open to the public.
WHEN: 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 7.
WHERE: Young adult area on the main floor of the library, 800 Main St.
TRANSPORTATION: Anyone who needs a ride to the event should call library director Kelly Krieg-Sigman at (608) 789-7123 by 5 p.m. March 5.
