I’ve an idea to carry the concept of a lost world as depicted in archival photos farther, and I’m hoping some of you want to join in the effort.

Mike Riley has pointed me in the direction of the Cayuga County Canal Tours blog, and this post focuses on Montezuma as well, and maybe even the same street.

So here’s the concept: pick a town along the canal and search the archival images available to see how thoroughly a lost world can be reconstructed using those images. Thanks to the images that Bill Hecht cleans up and shares, let’s look at more of Montezuma.

Anyone’s ancestor here?

I always wonder who the photographer was and why assemblages of people, clearly posing in some cases like the gent to the right of the automobile, were photographed.

There’s ghostwriting on the facade the stable to the right, and the name of the market in the middle. When did these businesses disappear?

Do I make out the word “bakery” on the lower part of the shop here?

Of course I wonder what make of automobile that is. How many motor vehicles passed the streets of this village back then? Who owned that car?

Please add some detail or helpful links in the comment section below. If your canal town has a collection of archival photos, please share.

This address finds me: canalsocietyofnysphotos@gmail.com.

Again, many thanks to Bill for sharing these photos.