Many antique photographs that have survived decades rarely make it out of their storage boxes, except to be displayed at the occasional family reunion or funeral.

Now, you don’t have to keep your delicate photos out of sight. Upload your historic family photos to ePodunk and they’ll be featured in our ancestry & family history section.

You can also browse other people’s historic family photos from your community and maybe you’ll be inspired to blog about what you might find.

To upload and view family photos, go to the link for “Ancestry & family history” in the “Local guides” section on the right side of any community page.

Here are some submissions that have inspired us to make family photos a new ePodunk feature:

Gilbertsville, KY

Geoffrey Ellwood with his sister and niece, Christmas 1930

Submitted by ePodunk user ellwoodrw

Pringle, PA

Ed O’Leary and General Chamberlain, October 1941

Submitted by ePodunk user john

Cleveland, MO

Elvira Cantonwine Hoag holding Wilson Hoag (1851-1934)

Submitted by ePodunk user rosita9548

We want to hear from you! After many months of receiving emails full of feedback, queries, interesting tidbits, and stories from our audience, ePodunk has opened its pages to publish blogs and reviews directly in the words of our users.

Now, at the top of every community page on the ePodunk US site, you’ll see a link to “Blog about this community” or “Tell us the pros and cons of this community.” After registering on My ePodunk by providing a user name, password, and email address, you can now have your thoughts about your favorite places published on ePodunk!

For example, epodunk user bluegrassman blogs about Linnville, OH:

“I have lived in the Linnville area most of my life. This area is very scenic and quiet. Many families in this area have ties to families that came to this area of Ohio on the National Road back in the 1800’s. Adam Linn who was a farmer from Virginia came here and served as Linnville’s first postmaster in 1833.”

ePodunk user larry blogs about Franklinton, LA:
“Looking for my aunt who lived on Roberts Road in Franklinton - Willie Jean Roberts. Have not been in contact since Katrina, even got all my Christmas cards back.”

More community blogs here.

Need some direction? Tell us the what you think are the best aspects of your town or city, and which need improvement.

ePodunk user reisjackson tells the pluses of Fort Ransom, ND :
“Quiet, peaceful community nestled along the Sheyenne River. Summer kayaking, biking, birding, hunting, fishing. Winter cross country skiing, downhill skiing at Bear’s Den Mountain (300 vertical feet), Ice fishing, ice skating, snowmobiling. Located along the North Country Hiking/Cross Country Trail spanning from New York across the northern plains. Tight-knit community, friendly people open to outsiders, tourism is the local economy.”

ePodunk user scottwar reviews Humble, TX:

“Humble, TX has a rich history from the early oil boom days. The historic main street is relatively well preserved and still has many active businesses and restaurants. A large town with a small town attitude.”

More community reviews here.

All submissions will be reviewed by ePodunk editors before publication so you will not see your entry online right away. Offensive, libelous or otherwise inappropriate posts will be rejected.

Has someone spoken out about your hometown yet? Review now, and be the first to get your two cents in!

I made sure to seek out a good po’boy in New Orleans. Or, as they’re known throughout most of the country, a sub sandwich. I got some good soul food too, collard greens and all. But what really stood apart in New Orleans was the rabbit. At Coop’s Place, on Decatur St. in the French Quarter, I had the ultimate bar food: rabbit and sausage jambalaya. I asked my bar companion Mark, a local carpenter, to be describe it for me. Of course, it’s like chicken but a bit tougher, he said. Then, for good measure, he added that he’d been eating the food at Coop’s for 12 years. Good enough for me. And it was, though I still can’t tell you what rabbit tastes like. I guess it’s like . . .

You may have noticed some exciting changes on our homepage lately. Since the addition of user photo uploads to ePodunk, we’ve decided to feature some of the most interesting shots from various shutterbugs across the US. In case you missed them, here are the photos that have already been featured on ePodunk:

“View at Mather Point” Grand Canyon, AZ.
Submitted by ePodunk user podunker on 12/28/06.

“Swingin’ Medallions concert on the square” Wrightsville, GA.
Submitted by ePodunk user hometown on 12/28/06.

“Downtown Columbia, waterfront” Columbia, NC
Submitted by ePodunk user ilemme on 12/6/06.

“Gilgo Beach in September” Babylon, NY
Submitted by ePodunk user lcad on 11/20/06

“Hiking the Chilkoot Trail” Dyea, AK
Submitted by ePodunk user kristenk on 11/30/06

“On the bluffs” Mendocino, CA
Submitted by ePodunk user jhdecker on 11/19/06

So, get out your camera and venture out into your community to see if your photo makes our home page!

After your photo is submitted, it will be reviewed and posted online. If your photo wins a coveted place on our homepage, you’ll receive an email to your My ePodunk email address. Don’t be a sore loser! Even if your photo isn’t chosen for the homepage it will appear on the page of the community you photographed.

More information about how to submit photos here.