Content Guidelines
What makes a great contribution to OnceHere
OnceHere is built on contributions from people like you. Every photo adds a layer to the history of a place. These guidelines help keep the collection useful, respectful, and true to its purpose.
What We Love to See
Old photos of places
Houses, streets, storefronts, parks, churches, schools, factories — anything that shows what a place used to look like. The older the better, but even photos from the 1990s are history now.
Photos with a known location
The more specific the address, the better. “55 Boston Street, Salem” is more useful than “somewhere in Salem.” But if you're not sure of the exact address, upload it anyway and mark it as needing help — someone in the community might recognize it.
Context and stories
A date, a description, a memory. “My grandmother's house, 1952. She used to sit on that porch every evening.” These details bring photos to life for everyone.
Archive finds
Found a great historical photo in a public archive, library collection, or historical society? You can upload it and credit the source. Use the “Archive” source type and include a link back to the original.
What Doesn't Belong
- Photos of people without places — OnceHere is about places, not portraits. People can be in the photo, but the place should be the subject.
- Modern real estate photos — we're here for history, not property listings.
- Content you don't have the right to share — don't upload someone else's copyrighted photos without permission.
- Offensive or harmful content — nothing hateful, violent, or deliberately misleading.
- Spam or promotional content — no ads, no business promotions.
- AI-generated images — we're preserving real history, not creating synthetic versions of it.
Copyright
Many old photos are in the public domain, especially those taken before 1929 or produced by government agencies. When in doubt:
- Family photos you own or inherited are generally fine to share
- Photos from public archives with open licenses are welcome — include a link to the source
- If a photo has a clear copyright notice and you don't have permission, don't upload it
- When crediting a source, use the “Source Details” field on the upload form
Comments
Comments are for sharing knowledge, memories, and context. “That's the old Daniels Pharmacy — it closed in 1978” is exactly the kind of thing that makes OnceHere valuable. Be kind, be helpful, and remember that real people are behind every contribution.
Review Process
Every photo is reviewed before it appears publicly. This isn't about gatekeeping — it's about keeping the collection focused and useful. Most uploads are approved quickly. If your photo is rejected, it's usually because the location couldn't be determined or it didn't fit the guidelines above.
The best contributions are the ones that make someone stop and say, “I had no idea my street used to look like that.”
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