IRVINGTON — In 1898, Osbert Sumner was gifted a camera by his coworkers when he left his position at Schnull & Co. With that camera, he managed to capture some amazing views of Indianapolis (and a few other places). His glass negatives were left under the basement stairs of his home in Irvington, where they remained hidden for decades, only to be discovered by future owners who donated them to the Irvington Historical Society. There were no names, no dates, just a cache of incredible images waiting to be identified — over 300 of them!
Join historian Deedee Davis on Sunday, July 20, at 2:00 p.m., as she shares how she and others uncovered the stories hidden within hundreds of Sumner’s images and pieced together the life of this previously unknown amateur photographer. The event will be held at the Bona Thompson Memorial Center, 5350 University Ave. in Irvington.
The photos are on display at the Bona, and a book of the photos is nearing completion.
