In this episode, Maureen Taylor speaks with Glen Meakem, founder and CEO of Forever.com. Glen shares his inspiration for starting the company in 2012—recognizing a gap in long-term, secure, digital storage for family memories. Forever offers users a permanent digital home to store and share photos, videos, and documents with guaranteed access for future generations. Unlike other cloud platforms, Forever emphasizes ownership, privacy, and permanence, supported by a sustainable financial model. Gl...
Jun 08, 2025•33 min•Ep. 267
Ron Coddington, editor and publisher of Military Images magazine, joins The Photo Detective podcast to share his journey from teenage Civil War photo collector to leading a respected history publication. He discusses the legacy of Civil War portraiture, the vast archive of surviving images, and the magazine’s mission to reconnect forgotten faces with their stories. The magazine, founded in 1979, showcases rare Civil War portraits and stories behind them. Civil War photography is vast—estimated a...
May 18, 2025•32 min•Ep. 266
In this episode, Griff (Bill Griffing), the mind behind the Spared and Shared websites, shares how he turned his post-retirement passion for Civil War history into a monumental historical preservation project. Transcribing over 15,000 letters—mostly from eBay—Griff provides context, authorship, and insight for Civil War correspondence, making them publicly accessible. His meticulous work bridges genealogical research and historical scholarship. His efforts have supported publications, academic r...
May 04, 2025•40 min
In this episode of The Photo Detective , host Maureen Taylor welcomes Emily Banas, Associate Curator of Decorative Arts and Design at the RISD Museum, to explore the captivating world of French wallpaper. Their discussion centers on The Art of French Wallpaper Design exhibition, diving into the artistry, craftsmanship, and cultural legacy behind these historical wall coverings. The RISD Museum’s collection of 18th and 19th-century French wallpaper—originally acquired in 1934—is showcased for the...
Apr 20, 2025•23 min•Ep. 264
In this episode of The Photo Detective , Maureen Taylor welcomes historian Evan Friss, author of The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore . Friss dives deep into the evolution of bookstores in America—from colonial times to the digital age. He shares fascinating insights into their cultural, political, and communal roles throughout history. Early American bookstores were cultural and political hubs, vital for disseminating revolutionary ideas and classic literature, despite also selling...
Apr 06, 2025•33 min•Ep. 263
In the March 2025 episode of her solo podcast, Maureen Taylor, the Photo Detective, discusses a variety of personal and professional experiences related to photo management and genealogy. She begins by addressing the shutdown of MemoryWeb, a platform she used extensively, detailing her efforts to safeguard her photos by enhancing metadata and descriptions before downloading them. Maureen also shares insights from a productive meeting with Forever.com executives about potential metadata improveme...
Mar 23, 2025•23 min•Ep. 262
In this episode of the podcast, host Maureen Taylor is joined by Diahan Southard, known for her expertise as “Your DNA Guide.” Diahan discusses her new book, “Monday Minutes,” which is inspired by her popular newsletter. The book is a collection of reflections on everyday moments and thoughts, aimed at connecting deeply with her audience beyond the realm of genealogy. Key Highlights: Origin and Impact: “Monday Minutes” started as a simple, fun email experiment to connect with Diahan’s customers ...
Mar 16, 2025•21 min•Ep. 261
In this episode, Rick Voigt, co-founder and CEO of Vivid-Pix.com, joins Maureen Taylor to discuss the evolving photo marketplace and its impact on genealogists and everyday users. They explore the recent shutdown of FileShadow, the risks of relying on digital storage providers, and the importance of backing up precious memories. Rick shares insights from his 40-year experience in the photo industry, including lessons from Kodak and Polaroid’s shifts. They emphasize best practices for preserving ...
Mar 02, 2025•24 min•Ep. 260
In this episode of The Photo Detective , host Maureen Taylor speaks with Brian Rhinehart, founder of CivilWarRecords.com , about uncovering lost Civil War history through archival research. Brian shares his journey from genealogy hobbyist to professional researcher specializing in Civil War records at the National Archives. He explains the misconceptions about military records, emphasizing that most are not available online. They discuss the rich details found in pension files, including persona...
Feb 09, 2025•26 min
Barbara Tien discusses her role as the “ringleader” of Project Kin on the Photo Detective podcast. After her startup, Ponga, shut down, Tien decided to keep her team together and transitioned to creating Project Kin, a community focused on storytelling and family history without any financial gain. She emphasizes the platform’s global reach, privacy importance, and its emphasis on story preservation and sharing. The platform is built on a foundation of helping members tell their own family stori...
Feb 02, 2025•27 min•Ep. 258
In this January 2025 solo episode of her podcast, Maureen Taylor, the photo detective, shares news for users of Fileshadow.com. She also shares insights into her professional life, detailing her expertise in analyzing historical photographs to assist in dating them and incorporating them into family histories. She discusses a recent project involving a photograph from Providence, and how she used various historical resources to accurately date it, along with providing updates on the photo market...
Jan 26, 2025•17 min
On this episode of The Photo Detective , I’m joined by Seth Rockman, author of Plantation Goods: A Material History of American Slavery . Seth’s groundbreaking research uncovers the economic and material ties that connected New England industries to the Southern plantation economy in the 19th century. From the labor of Rhode Island seamstresses to the cotton fields of Mississippi, his work reveals the intricate networks of production and exploitation that defined this era. Join us as we explore ...
Jan 12, 2025•33 min•Ep. 256
Loretta Napoleoni’s The Power of Knitting explores the universal significance of knitting through history, culture, and personal memoir. An economist by profession, Napoleoni combines research with heartfelt reflections, revealing knitting’s historical roles in revolutions, spycraft, and resilience. She highlights its meditative, brain-stimulating effects, debunks its dismissal as a mere domestic craft, and celebrates its community-building power. Her engaging book resonates with seasoned knitte...
Jan 05, 2025•28 min
Welcome to the December 2024 solo episode of The Photo Detective with Maureen Taylor. In this episode, Maureen shares the story of Amy Barlow, who solved a photo mystery with Maureen’s guidance during a consultation. Amy’s photograph depicted a family standing in front of a store. Using resources like eBay, WorthPoint, city directories, Sanborn maps, and more, Amy unraveled the store’s history and connection to her family. Maureen highlights the personalized and collaborative nature of her consu...
Dec 22, 2024•19 min
Kiki Smith, a professor from the theater department at Smith College, joins the “Photo Detective” podcast to discuss her unique journey with the Smith College Historic Clothing Collection. Initially joining the department temporarily, Smith found herself organizing a chaotic costume storage area into a vital educational and research resource. Her book “Real Clothes, Real Lives” documents 200 years of women’s everyday attire using items from this collection. With a focus on ordinary garments rath...
Dec 08, 2024•35 min•Ep. 253
In this podcast episode, we are thrilled to have Paul Frecker, an expert on 19th-century photography and the author of Cartomania: Photography and Celebrity in the 19th Century . Paul brings a unique perspective from his days as a dealer specializing in 19th-century photography, focusing on the intriguing format of Carte de Visite. His journey from collector to author reveals the passion and dedication that culminated in his comprehensive book. Paul discusses how Carte de Visite captured images ...
Dec 01, 2024•36 min•Ep. 252
In this episode, Maureen Taylor, The Photo Detective TM explores the power of a photo through a series of case studies. She introduces a new photo storytelling option for clients. The Power of a Photo Decoding the Context The Emotional Landscape Integrating Technology Case Study: Putting it into Practice. Related Episodes: Episode 237: How Storied.com Transforms Family History into Captivating Stories Episode 185 Genealogy on TikTok with Gwyneth.Stories Links: Sign up for my newsletter. Watch my...
Nov 24, 2024•18 min•Ep. 251
In today’s episode of The Photo Detective , guest Sharon Carmack introduces her groundbreaking book, Telling Her Story , a comprehensive guide to researching and writing about historical women. Sharon’s work, spanning 370 pages, is rich with resources, case studies, and examples that empower genealogists and family historians to uncover the hidden lives of women from the past. By using social history research, annotated essays, and speculative writing techniques, Carmack dispels the myth that wo...
Nov 10, 2024•27 min•Ep. 250
Erin Moulton discusses her book, “The Beginner’s Guide to Cemetery Sleuthing, Scavenger Hunt,” which is uniquely designed as a workbook. Moulton, a local history librarian at Derry Public Library, shares her journey from genealogy enthusiast to cemetery researcher. The book serves as a practical guide for collecting key details from cemeteries, which can then be further explored in archives for deeper genealogical research. Erin Moulton’s book is structured as a workbook to enhance the learning ...
Nov 03, 2024•23 min•Ep. 249
Exploring family history is a personal journey, often sparked by familial influences and nurtured through personal curiosity and research. My mother’s passion for family history was contagious, influencing my own exploration of our ancestry. This shared interest led us on numerous adventures, uncovering the stories and places connected to our lineage, from Quebec to New Hampshire. Key Points: Personal Influence : My mom’s enthusiasm for family history played a pivotal role in my interest in the ...
Oct 27, 2024•14 min
In this episode of the podcast, Katherine Manthorne returns to discuss her book “Women in the Dark: Female Photographers 1840 to 1900.” The conversation explores the overlooked contributions of female photographers during the early days of photography, highlighting their innovative approaches and resilience in a male-dominated field. Manthorne shares insights into her research process, which began at flea markets and led to the discovery of numerous female photographers through their photo cards...
Oct 13, 2024•31 min
Kurt Deion, author of Presidential Grave Hunter , shares his lifelong journey of visiting every U.S. president and vice president’s grave. Sparked by early interests in presidential history and inspired by books and family trips, Kurt’s unique quest began in childhood. His book combines memoir and historical facts, recounting adventures and discoveries at burial sites. Besides graves, Kurt has explored presidential libraries, capturing memories through photographs. He continues his historical pu...
Oct 06, 2024•28 min•Ep. 246
Join Maureen Taylor, the Photo Detective, in a solo episode where she delves into the fascinating world of tintypes. This episode covers everything from their historical emergence in 1856 to their resurgence via modern itinerant artists. Discover why tintypes remained popular through the 19th century and explore their unique characteristics, including their affordability, durability, and the fact they are made on iron, not tin. Maureen also shares insights on identifying and preserving these pre...
Sep 29, 2024•14 min•Ep. 245
In this episode of The Photo Detective, host Maureen Taylor speaks with Amanda Meeks, the Community and Partnerships Manager at Permanent.org. They discuss the recent developments at Permanent.org, focusing on the Legacy Lab, a new program designed to help users create and publish public archives. The Legacy Lab includes an email course that breaks down the archiving process into manageable tasks, emphasizing legacy planning and the importance of preserving history. They also touch on the Byte f...
Sep 15, 2024•20 min
In this episode, Hannah Carlson, author of “Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close,” discusses the historical and social significance of pockets. Inspired by a personal experience where she had no pockets during an emergency, Carlson explores how pockets have evolved from medieval times to modern days, highlighting their gender disparity. She delves into how pockets in women’s clothing were often inadequate or non-existent, contrasting with men’s standardized pocketed garments....
Sep 08, 2024•31 min
In this solo episode of Maureen Taylor’s podcast, “The Photo Detective,” Maureen delves into the captivating world of postcards. She explores their historical significance and practical uses, both as travel memorabilia and valuable tools in family history research. The episode highlights the evolution of postcards from the early 1900s, including the introduction of Kodak’s folding pocket camera that could take postcard-sized photos, to the legislative changes in 1907 allowing messages on the bac...
Aug 25, 2024•18 min•Ep. 242
Clare Hunter, author of “Threads of Life,” joins Maureen on The Photo Detective podcast. A Scottish native with a background in theatre, community art, and creative writing, Clare discusses her book, which intertwines memoir and history, highlighting the social, emotional, and political significance of sewing. “Threads of Life” explores the profound impacts of needlework beyond its traditional domestic roles, demonstrating its importance in various social and historical contexts. Clare shares an...
Aug 11, 2024•32 min•Ep. 241
Dr. Matt Lodder discusses his book Painted People: 5,000 Years of Tattooed History on The Photo Detective podcast. Focuses on tattoo history post-photography, noting tattoos often didn’t show up in early photos. Tattoos were private, often hidden under clothing, and not commonly photographed. Lodder's interest in tattoos started from family stories about his grandfather and great-grandmother’s tattoos. His research bridges common sailor tattoos with lesser-known tattoos on women and the middle c...
Aug 04, 2024•36 min•Ep. 240
This solo episode of the “Photo Detective” podcast delves into the intriguing task of discovering photographs of Civil War ancestors. Host Maureen offers a wealth of strategies and resources that not only cater to finding Civil War soldier images but also generalize to uncovering historical family photographs. Emphasizing the personal connections and untold stories each photo can reveal, she provides a comprehensive guide to enhancing your family history through visual documentation. Key Points ...
Jul 28, 2024•18 min•Ep. 239
In this fascinating podcast episode, Dr. Dean Kirby, a historian, journalist, and professional genealogist based in Manchester, England, shares his deep-rooted interest in the Manchester slums. Key Inspiration: Discovery of great-great-great grandfather’s history in Angel Meadow, a notorious Manchester slum. Research Focus: Manchester slums during the Industrial Revolution, leading to a PhD and the book “Angel Meadow: Victorian Britain’s Most Savage Slum.” Living Conditions: Overcrowded homes, c...
Jul 14, 2024•39 min•Ep. 238
