16 Photos That Have a Story to Tell

Behind every old and dusty relic, photo, or piece of art is a story that can transport us to another time and world. Only until we ask our grandparents or discover the photos do we understand the delights of the past and realize how little we know. Perhaps your granny won a medal for milking over 1 million liters of milk or your mom was a friend of a celebrity — you’ll only know if you ask.

Bright Side has found some of the most beautiful photos with truly touching backstories that could be turned into novels, inspiring you to dig into your own ancestry.

1. “After 48 years of not even knowing that I HAD a daughter, we finally met...”

2. “My grandma’s medal. She was awarded in the ’80s for milking 1 million liters of cow milk in Czechoslovakia.”

3. “This coin pressed into lava from the last time Vesuvius erupted in 1944”

4. “My grandpa just handed this to me and said, ’A friend of mine gave me this clock from a Russian submarine, make sure it works.’”

5. “Instead of taking a secret picture of this gentleman, I asked for one. He insisted we take one together.”

• He had a great story about the skirt and petticoat. He said that when he was a teenager, he took a trip down Highway 1 (the coastal California highway) with his cousins. The whole way they were teasing him by ruffling their petticoats on him and showing off their legs. Since then, he had always wanted to ride Highway 1 while ruffling his own petticoat. This week he did just that. Always_be_awesome / Reddit

6. “Who knew making a simple comment on Reddit would lead to me meeting and marrying the love of my life?”

7. “111-year-old scarring from a carving on an aspen tree”

8. “My great-grandmother’s spoon collection she gave to me!”

9. This huge pumpkin on its way somewhere...

10. “My mom swore she already made me a waffle, but we couldn’t find it. So she made another one and I grabbed a fork.”

11. “My mother’s 3-day ticket to Woodstock (1969) and a photo of her taken the day before the festival”

12. “I’ve recently hit a point in my life where no one knows I’m transgender.”

“Living life just as a normal girl is something I’ve dreamed about my entire life but thought was impossible.”

13. “My mom with Colin Hanks, son of Tom Hanks, after a school play (1993)”

14. “My favorite find, my wedding dress that I found at a local thrift store.”

“Looked up the tag and it’s a ’cloud dress’ inspired by Carrie Bradshaw’s wedding dress.”

15. “My fiancé with the guitar I painted for him — the story is about his life before we met each other.”

16. “An old Nokia phone keychain and pocketknife too!”

What is the biggest discovery you’ve made about your family? Did they ever date a celebrity? Please share what you’ve found with us!