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Using Local and Family History Photographs to Tell the Stories of Your Ancestors

Library of Congress Resources

Lochman, William J., photographer. Portrait possibly of photographer Charles L. Lochman (1822-1900) standing next to a box camera resting on a tripod. Between 1866 or 1875. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

Though pictures related to our ancestors are found most abundantly in the collections of the Library's Prints and Photographs Division, they may appear in collections throughout the Library’s departments.

Listed in this guide are a selection of print and digital materials from across the Library that provide rich family and local history imagery. Continue to search above and beyond these highlighted resources to find photographs specific to your ancestors and community.