Last Chance to See IHS’s You Are There 1904: Picture This

Indianapolis—The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) announces time is running out to step into You Are There 1904: Picture This. The IHS exhibition, which brings a Fort Wayne photography studio to life, will close on Saturday, Jan. 23, after a successful run of more than two years.

You Are There 1904: Picture This allows guests to the Eugene and Marilyn Indiana History Center to visit the thriving business of photographer Charles Miner, once located in downtown Fort Wayne, and meet the man behind the lens.

“The best part about playing Charles Miner has been educating guests about the time frame,” said IHS actor Danny Russel. “I’ve enjoyed seeing their collective wonderment when I display glass plate negatives and explain how they’re magically transformed into prints.”

While Miner kept up with the technological advances at the turn of the century, his portraits also connected to life events such as weddings, dance recitals, career milestones and more that would be passed down to future generations. It’s a link to the past IHS actor Brock Stafford, who plays Miner’s assistant John D. Albrecht, says he hopes visitors won’t soon forget.

“I hope the guests walk away with a sense of the importance of photography in making memories,” said Stafford. “Often, we take so many pictures a day and forget that each one tells a story about ourselves and our view of the world.”

For the remainder of the exhibition’s run, visitors to Miner’s studio can have their own portraits taken, with instructions on how to download those images. They will also receive instructions on how to use custom-made software to morph their images into a vintage photograph.

In addition, the exhibition examines the evolution of photography with a timeline of cameras from Miner’s era through today and a collection of studio images from the IHS collection.

You Are There 1904: Picture This, presented by Stan and Sandy Hurt, and the rest of the Indiana Experience is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays. Cost is $7, $6.50 for seniors and $5 for kids (ages 5 to 17). IHS members and children younger than five get in free.

For more information on this exhibition or the Indiana Experience, call (317) 232-1882 or visit IHS online at www.indianahistory.org.

About the Indiana Historical Society

Since 1830, the Indiana Historical Society has been Indiana’s Storyteller, connecting people to the past by collecting, preserving, interpreting and sharing the state’s history. A private, nonprofit membership organization and an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, IHS maintains the nation’s premier research library and archives on the history of Indiana and the Old Northwest and presents a unique set of visitor exhibitions called the Indiana Experience. IHS provides support and assistance to local museums and historical groups, publishes books and periodicals; sponsors teacher workshops; produces and hosts art exhibitions, museum theater and outside performance groups; and provides youth, adult and family programming.

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For photos & interview requests contact: Rachel Hill Ponko, IHS director of public relations, at (317) 233-8814 or rhillponko@indianahistory.org

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