Challenge! Where was this photo taken? When? Full disclosure: we don’t know. The photo is in our archives unlabeled but we are sure the wisdom of the crowd will help us. Once you think you know the location add your idea to the comment section. Of course, please respect private property and don’t walk on people’s lawns without permission. Can you take a guess at a date when it was taken?
Anna Patnode Lester said:
I just consulted with a friend that has a very similar photo of the Pond! He thinks it’s from the current spot of the school looking north and most likely early 1920’s.
From Jaime Schulte:
The photo could be anytime from early photography (1840s?) onward. It is in the era when Monkton was mostly deforested ag land, so probably mid-1800s through 1940. Photo looks like it could be 1800s with the sepia tones, but also seems like a low visibility day which makes the photo look older. Low fog by Pond Rd and obscuring the hills beyond Mt. Florona.
Here is our consensus answer: MM&HS member Michael Rounds has never been to Monkton, but is skilled in cartography, mapping, and Orienteering. He partook in the challenge and using Google maps it’s obvious “Monkton Pond” is now known as Cedar Lake. CalTopo has the ability to create a simulated view so he virtually “stood” in the middle of the lake and spun around. To the north is a single landmass with a steep left side (Raven Ridge Natural Area) matching the view from the school guessed by some people. But to the west southwest is a view of double humps similar to the challenge picture. Backing up, it appears that the picture was taken from the Monkton Ridge cemetery or just to the north, looking west southwest. According to the map, the hump on the right would be Mt. Florona and the hump on the right is unlabeled (located between Stillson Lane and Weisenbach Road) and hiding Mt. Fuller beyond.
He has no way to date the photo, but the sepia tone and writing on the print were common from 1880’s to 1920’s. The wooden fence posts and absence of power lines probably helps confirm that time frame.