I do love a good mystery, but it's a lot better when the mystery is solved with a happy ending. In December I shared Alli Turpin's story in hopes of finding the owners of some very special photos.

The Mystery Begins with a $20 Camera

Alli purchased a vintage Argus 75 camera for $20 at His N Hers Fleamarket in Evansville, Indiana on December 17, 2021. It happened to have a roll of undeveloped film in it, so of course, she wanted to see what photographs were on this very old camera.

Long before we had Instagram and Smart Phones this is how we took pics.

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Wait, What the Heck is FILM?

Let me tell you, Alli knows the art of developing film because she still uses a camera that uses film. Yes, kids, there was a time when we couldn't just use our phones to take pictures and delete the ones we don't like. Once the photographs were developed she quickly realized that a family was probably missing these special Christmas photos.

Here's an example of how to develop one type of film:

The Search is Over

Alli shared the photographs on social media in hopes of locating the family they belong to. We talked about it on-air and shared the original article with as many local groups as we could find.

Photos on Vintage Camera Reveal Mystery Family

Alli Turpin purchased a vintage camera at a resale shop in Evansville. She was able to develop the film, and locate the family the photos belong to.

Ali tells me that the photos belong to a family in Spottsville, Kentucky! How crazy is that? The Kentucky family doesn't know who had the camera and took it to the resale shop in Evansville. Ali's plan is to mail them the photos, and now the mystery of the Christmas photos has been solved.

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Then & Now - Evansville's Washington Square Mall Through the Years

Evansville is home to a lot of unique buildings including the first enclosed retail shopping center in Indiana. Yes, our very own Washington Square Mall was the place to be when it opened in 1963. If you walk through the mall today, you would never guess how alive the shops were, even through the 1980s. Enjoy this walk down memory lane I've put together, and maybe someday there will be new life inside 5011 Washington Ave.

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