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In local history, some of the most valuable artifacts are not found in museums.
They survive in drawers, files, and boxes.
Recently, two identified historical photographs resurfaced as photocopies from private collections; a 1908 Sandwich baseball team photograph and a Gletty family anniversary portrait marking a remarkable 63rd wedding anniversary.
Though unrelated, the images preserve something deeply important: names, faces, relationships, and moments of ordinary community life that might otherwise have been lost to time.
Today, they survive not only as photographs, but as identified pieces of Sandwich history.
The 1908 Sandwich Baseball Team
Image restored by Herk Schmidt
Baseball was already an important part of community life in Sandwich by the early 1900s. Local teams brought together players, families, spectators, and neighborhoods, creating a shared sense of recreation and hometown pride.
This partially identified team photograph, dated 1908, survives with handwritten identifications attached to the original photocopy.
The original notes identify the following individuals:
In Front
- Dee Dee Losee, age 4
- Milan Losee, age 5
First Row (right end)
- Dexter Losee
- Coach
- J. Means
- Burcham
- Mederbaugh
- Price
- Devine
- Brower
- Burgi
Second Row Includes
- Wilson
- K. Hough
Some players remain unidentified.
The survival of these names transforms the image from a simple team portrait into a lasting community record.
The Gletty Family Anniversary Portrait
Image restored by Herk Schmidt
This remarkable family portrait commemorates the 63rd wedding anniversary of Frederick Guillaume Gletty and Clara Arminda Goodell Gletty.
The original photocopy preserved names for multiple generations gathered together for the occasion — a rare and valuable survival in local family history.
The original caption identifies:
Front
- Frederick Guillaume Gletty
- Clara Arminda Goodell Gletty
Second Row
- Fred Gletty
- Ralph Gletty
- Flora Peckman
- Alice Gletty
- Jessie Gletty
- Grandgeorge Gletty
- Wally Gletty
Back Row
- Willis Gletty
- Jack Gletty
- Ross Gletty
Photographs like this preserve more than appearances. They preserve family connections, milestones, and the continuity of community across generations.
Why Identified Photographs Matter
One of the greatest challenges in local history is that photographs often survive long after names have been forgotten.
Unidentified images become mysteries over time.
But photographs with names become history.
These two images survived because someone took the time to preserve not only the photographs themselves, but also the handwritten identifications attached to them. Today, those names allow descendants, researchers, and future generations to reconnect with people who once lived, worked, celebrated, and played baseball in Sandwich.
In many ways, local history survives exactly like this:
through drawers, scrapbooks, family collections, and the decision that something might still matter.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
- 1908 Sandwich baseball team photograph includes identified players and children
- Gletty family image commemorates a 63rd wedding anniversary
- Both photographs survived as photocopies with handwritten identifications
- Several individuals in the baseball image remain unidentified
- Restored versions of both images help preserve details and visibility
- Images provide insight into community life and family history in early Sandwich
CONTINUE THE STORY
RESEARCH & SOURCES
Research & Sources
- Private family photocopies and handwritten identifications
- Restored image versions courtesy of community preservation efforts
- Historic Sandwich, Illinois research collection