DECATUR — Where can one go to find sixty-year-old class photos, pictures of Main Street in 1900 and last week, and a schedule for next month's 57th Annual Decatur Barbecue?
The answer is on Facebook. “I live (or lived) in Decatur and I love it” is a Facebook group created to bring the Decatur Community together, both past and present, near and far.
Groups created within the social networking site are based around shared interests or activities, according to Facebook.com. Groups are similar to clubs in the offline world.
On “I live (or lived) in Decatur and I love it”there are pictures of basketball teams from 1910, and long-gone landmarks, various yearbook photos from the 1920s up to the 1980s, and lots of comments and memories from people connected to the Decatur community.
“This is a place for people to put memories or things they love about Decatur. I don’t care if they are familypictures or pictures from old high school annuals or football games; if it’s in Decatur, put it on here,” said creator Mike Duncan.
Duncan created the Facebook group inFebruary and, as of Monday afternoon,there were 470 members, but that number changes almost constantly as new people join the group.
Duncan was inspired to start the page because there was no way for people from Decatur to connect on Facebook.
“I did it so people in Decatur would have a place to reminisce and keep intouch,” he said.
The Facebook page has reunited friends that haven’t seen each other in 50 years, Duncan said.
And as the name implies, the group isn’tjust for people who live in Decatur at the present. It serves to keep people who have moved away to other states or even other parts of the world connected. The group has members, not only from most of the 50 states, but from places as far away as Italy and South America. Members range in age from children to grandparents, Duncan said.
Sometimes Duncan spends as much as six or seven hours a day editing old pictures in Photoshop and posting them on the group site. He has also taken pictures of familiar landmarks around town, of the memorial sign in Compton Park at the south end of Crystal Lake, and of all the plaques embedded in the Decatur High School’s sidewalklisting graduating class members from 1922 until 1980. Even though he puts a lot of work into the group, Duncan insists it belongs to the community.
“This is not my site. I’m the creator, but I’m not the owner. This belongs to the community,” he said.
Duncan encourages people to post pictures, events, videos, comments and links. Those who don’t have a way to scan their photos and edit them on the computer can mail Duncan their pictures,and he will scan them and upload them in minutes.
“Children are on here. Be responsible and don’t post anything offensive or inappropriate,” he said.
So far Duncan has been surprised and pleased by the response to the group. The group has 250 photos and plenty of discussion from members.
“I put this site up so people could post photos of Decatur today and in the past. It has surpassed all my expectations. You all have done great. Keep up what you've been doing. Some of these photos are heartwarming,” Duncan recently posted.
News, Pages 1 on 07/07/2010