Picture Vernon: A Snapshot Of Early Snapshots

VERNON, CT — The latest installment of the Picture Vernon series takes us to the Vernon Historical Society's archives.

In the collection, we find a vintage camera from a vintage local dealer.

Pictured is a Brownie box camera and the metal plate on the camera reveals that the camera was was purchased from Wendheiser’s Music Store in the Rockville section of town. Historical society officials guess it was purchased in about 1915.

According to the Franklin Institute, the Eastman Kodak Co, introduced the "new Brownie dollar box camera" in 1900.

The release was supported by a major advertising campaign and the camera essentially introduced the "snapshot" to America society.

According to the institute, The name "Brownie" was chosen primarily because of the popularity of a children's book of cartoons of the same name, and partly because the camera was initially manufactured for the company by Frank Brownell of Rochester, NY.

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Picture Vernon is a periodic series that features images of the town, past and present.