Thursday’s Photo Caption Contest

Today’s post comes from National Archives Office of Strategy and Communications staff writer Rob Crotty.

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Thinking it was only a myth, the kids were surprised to find the world did actually end at the edge of town.

Ladies and Gentlemen, you have astounded your judge with your caption compositions. Words and phrases like “historical sub-context” and “ingenuity” were used. Also used was the word “shibboleth,” which I had to look up. For the uninitiated, it refers to “any distinguishing practice that is indicative of one’s social or regional origin,” and it was used in reference to Wendy Gish’s winning caption. Not only has she won the approving nod from our esteemed guest judge, but like all our winners, also won 30% off at the National Archives e-Store.

As to the actual caption related to this photo, no, the kids photographed did not arrive at the end of the world, but instead, they arrived upon a small stream. “In 1938, rare flooding in southern California severed a road, trapped an automobile and drew a crowd” according to the book Your Land, Our Land, which highlights the holdings of our regional archives.

This week we dug deep into the Archives to find another photo stripped of context just waiting for a caption to captivate our next guest judge. But who is our mysterious judge? Will he be able to use shibboleth in a sentence? In fact, he will. To find a judge capable of keeping pace with the prose on Pieces of History, we’ve asked Jim Worsham, editor-in-chief extraordinaire of Prologue magazine, to weigh in on what will win this week. And while you’re searching for the right words for your caption, keep an eye out for the summer issue of Prologue, too—on your iPad, in your mailbox, or on your desktop next week.

Your Caption Here!
Your Caption Here!

For starters:

After a three day pursuit, the hunting party finally cornered the elusive white obelisk.

11 thoughts on “Thursday’s Photo Caption Contest

  1. The specifications for the height of the structure were accidentally left off of the first copies of the construction plans for the Washington Monument.

  2. I got your point. No, really, I got your point!

    Tether berth for all those balloons lost by children.

    UFO signal trap.

    Thaddeus to Elmer: “Now what should we do?!
    Elmer to Thaddeus: “I TOLD you we shouldn’t use that ethanol mix rocket fuel for the missile!”

    Houdini’s gravestone.

    Gimme da key. GIMME DA KEY! I gotta go BAD and I CAN’T if you can see me!

    Zero milestone. It ALL began here.

    Pagliacci’s final resting place.

  3. Advertising photo for Jones Brothers Fencing Company – Finely crafted fencing to fence in any object.

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