100 Old Photos In CNY House to be Demolished Miraculously Find Way Back Home

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what are 100 worth? For the family that thought the old photos were lost forever, priceless.

Several old photos were found in a house in Syracuse. David Haas of Syracuse History turned to social media to see if he could find the owners. "I often work with the Land Bank to tell stories about their properties," said Haas. "This time, one of their staff was visiting the house, found the photos, and called me to ask if I could help find the owners. I have done this before with old pictures, yearbooks, clocks, etc."

Family Found

Hass was able to locate Eb Farrow, the great-niece of Alice and H.E. Johnson, who used to own the home on West Lafayette Avenue. "Eb actually grew up in the home along with many of the other family members seen in the 100 or so photos that range from 1940 to 1990. She was beyond grateful that the photos were saved and still exist."

House Being Demolished

The photos may have been saved but sadly the house they were found in will not. "The home is being demolished," said Haas. "That obviously disappointed her. Her family hasn’t owned it for more than 5 years."

Haas is the Executive Director of Sarah's Guest House, Central New York's only adult healthcare hospitality house that provides lodging for patients and families traveling to Syracuse for medical care. He's also been sharing stories, unlocking mysteries, and highlighting Syracuse on Instagram and Facebook since 2013. His work has won local and state awards for his efforts in the community. "Most recently, the Preservation League of New York State named me one of 2021’s Excellence in Historic Preservation award winners."