The history of photography dates to 1826 when French scientist Joseph Nicéphore Niépce produced the oldest surviving photograph. In the following decades, technology evolved and different approaches to capturing still images became widely accessible to the public. It was soon possible for everyday citizens to get their likeness. 

Photography was a revolutionary invention and quickly became big business. In 1846, the Ohio State Journal advertised daguerreotype miniatures by Mr. Humphrey, which could be obtained at his Columbus studio. His work even included "portraits of sick or deceased persons taken at their residence, if required" (a macabre yet common custom of the era).

Thankfully, many photos from the 1800s survive. Regrettably, labeling the identity of the pictured was not always a common practice. Many faces have survived, but their identities are lost. Their only identifying marks belong to the photography studio that produced the portrait. The following collection of photographs were created by eight Licking County-based portrait studios (most with studios in downtown Newark) that operated from the 1860s through the end of the 19th century. 

If you see a photograph that you recognize and can help identify, please reach out. If you have photographs that you would like to contribute to this collection, please be in touch.