Contributing Content

Your contributions help preserve local history. This step-by-step guide walks you through submitting locations, businesses, photos, and stories.

Contributing to When It Was is simple and rewarding. Whether you're submitting a single photo or documenting an entire neighborhood, your work helps create a comprehensive historical record. All contributions are reviewed for accuracy and quality before being published.

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Getting Started

Before you can contribute content, you'll need to create a contributor account. It's free and takes less than two minutes.

1 Create an Account: Visit the Contributor Portal and click "Sign Up."

2 Verify Email: Check your email and click the verification link to activate your account.

3 Complete Profile: Add your display name and optional bio. Choose whether to show your name publicly on contributions.

4 Read Guidelines: Review our Community Guidelines to understand contribution standards.

Privacy Note: You can contribute anonymously. Your email address is never displayed publicly, and you control whether your name appears on submissions.

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How to Add a Location

Locations are the foundation of our database. Add a new address when you know of a historically significant building or site not yet in our system.

Step-by-Step: Adding Locations

1 Access Submission Form: Log in and click "Add Location" in the contributor dashboard.

2 Enter Address: Type the complete street address. Our system will verify it exists and check if it's already in the database.

3 Add Details: Provide building name (if applicable), construction date, current status (standing/demolished), and any architectural notes.

4 Upload Photo (Optional): Include a current or historical photo of the building.

5 Cite Sources: Note where you got your information (personal knowledge, city records, historical society, etc.).

6 Submit for Review: Click submit. Our team will verify the address and publish it within 48 hours.

What Makes a Good Location Submission: Include as much detail as possible. If you know the building's architect, construction date, or historical significance, add it! This context helps researchers and other contributors.

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How to Submit Business Information

Documenting businesses is the most valuable contribution you can make. Even if you only remember approximate dates, submit what you know!

Step-by-Step: Submitting Businesses

1 Find the Location: Search for the address where the business operated. If it doesn't exist yet, add the location first.

2 Click "Add Business": On the location page, click the "Add Business" button.

3 Enter Business Name: Use the exact name if you know it, or the name as you remember it.

4 Provide Dates: Enter opening and closing dates. Use exact dates if known, or approximate decades (e.g., "1970s" or "mid-1980s").

5 Add Details: Include business type, what they sold/services offered, owner names, interesting facts, or personal memories.

6 Attach Photos (Optional): Upload any photos of the business, its sign, interior, or exterior.

7 Cite Sources: Note how you know this information (personal memory, city directory, newspaper ad, family connection, etc.).

8 Submit: Click submit for verification. We'll research to confirm dates and details before publishing.

Important: Don't worry about being 100% certain. Submit what you remember, and note your confidence level. Our verification team will cross-reference with historical records to confirm or refine the information.

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How to Upload Photos

Historical photos are invaluable. Even casual snapshots can become important historical documents decades later.

Step-by-Step: Uploading Photos

1 Prepare Your Photo: Scan or photograph the original. Save as JPG or PNG. Higher resolution is better but not required.

2 Navigate to Location: Find the location page where the photo was taken.

3 Click "Upload Photo": Access the photo submission form from the location page.

4 Upload File: Drag and drop or browse to select your image file.

5 Date the Photo: Provide exact date if known, approximate year, or decade. Explain how you dated it.

6 Add Description: Describe what the photo shows. Identify buildings, businesses, people, vehicles, or events visible in the image.

7 Credit Photographer: Note who took the photo if known. If it's your personal/family photo, indicate that.

8 Rights Declaration: Confirm you have permission to share the photo. Read our photo usage terms.

9 Submit: Your photo will be reviewed for quality and relevance before publication.

Photo Quality Tips: We accept photos of varying quality. A blurry 1950s snapshot is still valuable! Don't reject photos just because they're not perfect—historical value trumps technical quality.

Copyright Notice: Only upload photos you own or have explicit permission to share. Don't submit copyrighted images from books, websites, or archives without permission. When in doubt, ask the copyright holder.

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How to Share Stories and Comments

Personal memories bring historical data to life. Your stories provide context and human connection that dates and photos can't capture.

Step-by-Step: Adding Comments

1 Navigate to Location or Business: Find the place your story relates to.

2 Scroll to Comments: Find the community comments section at the bottom of the page.

3 Click "Share Your Story": Open the comment submission form.

4 Write Your Memory: Describe your experience, memory, or knowledge about the location. Be specific about dates and details.

5 Tag Time Period: Indicate which era your story relates to (1950s, 1980s, etc.).

6 Post Comment: Click submit. Comments appear immediately but may be moderated for community guidelines.

What to Include in Stories

Personal experiences visiting or working at the location
Family connections to businesses or buildings
Specific memories of what places looked like or how they operated
Changes you witnessed over time
Community significance or cultural importance
Interesting anecdotes or lesser-known facts

Writing Tips: Be conversational and authentic. Your unique voice and personal perspective is what makes stories valuable. Don't worry about perfect grammar—focus on sharing genuine memories.

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How to Suggest Edits

Notice incorrect information? See a typo? Found new details about an existing entry? Suggest edits to improve accuracy.

Submitting Corrections

Click "Suggest Edit" on any location or business page
Describe what needs to be changed and why
Provide sources or evidence for corrections
Our verification team will review and implement valid corrections
You'll receive credit for helpful corrections in your contributor profile

Accuracy is our top priority. We welcome corrections and appreciate contributors who help us maintain high standards.

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Verification and Review Process

All submissions go through our verification process to ensure accuracy and quality. Here's what happens after you submit content.

Review Timeline

Initial Review (24-48 hours): Submissions are checked for completeness and appropriateness.
Fact Verification (2-7 days): Our team researches to confirm dates, names, and details.
Publication: Approved content goes live and you receive confirmation email.
Feedback (if needed): If we need clarification or additional information, we'll contact you.

Learn more about our review process in the Verification Process guide.

Contribution Best Practices

Be Specific: Exact dates, names, and details are more valuable than vague information.
Cite Sources: Always note where information came from—it helps verification.
Include Context: Explain why information is significant or interesting.
Be Honest About Uncertainty: Say "I think" or "approximately" when you're not certain.
Respect Privacy: Don't include private information about living individuals without permission.
Stay On Topic: Keep contributions relevant to the specific location or business.
Follow Guidelines: Adhere to our Community Guidelines at all times.

Ready to Contribute?

Join our community and start preserving local history today.

Create Contributor Account