“Banks: Then and Now”
See Banks through the eyes of Flora Munford –
and show us how the town she loved has changed more than a century later.
Who was Flora Munford? Beginning around 1908 – 1910, a photographer named Flora Munford took some of the earliest photographs we have of Banks. Her images give us a rare glimpse into the birth of the town, which grew rapidly in the wake of incoming railroad lines in 1906 and 1911.
Flora photographed homes, horses, buggies and cars on dirt streets. She captured the people and the iconic false-front buildings of local merchants, including the Banks Pharmacy, which Flora owned with her husband, town doctor William “Doc” Munford. Flora turned some of her photos into postcards, which she sold at the pharmacy and sent to family and friends.
YOUR CHALLENGE:
Choose one of Flora Munford’s
historic photographs of Banks,
find the location where she stood
more than a century ago,
then photograph the same view
as it looks today.
Who Can Enter?
Anyone! Winners will be awarded in three age categories:
12 and under • 13 to 17 • Adult (Age as of November 15, 2026)
Entries will be judged on similarity of vantage point, composition/visual interest and how effectively the photograph illustrates change over time. No special camera is required – smartphone photos are welcome.
Choose One of Four Historic Photos Below
Additional information about many of the images can be found in the booklet: Historical Walking Tour of Banks and the book Banks: A Town on the Move – available at the library or for purchase at Jim’s Market or from the Banks Historical Society.
How to Enter:
- Entrants may submit up to four photos (multiples of an individual photo or one photo for each image).
- A completed Entry Form must accompany each entry.
- Identify the image you are re-creating based on the Image Number below.
- Submit digital photo entries via email to info@bankshistory.org. Please attach only one contest photo per email.
- Accepted file formats: JPG, JPEG, HEIC and PNG. (Please contact the email above if you wish to submit a print photograph.)
- Photo entries must be received by midnight on November 15, 2026.
Winners and Exhibition:
Winning photographs will be showcased and winners will be recognized at:
Flora Munford: At the Birth of Banks
December 3, 2026 • 7:00 p.m.
Banks Public Library
Flora Munford was much more than a talented photographer. She was a major mover and shaker in Banks for nearly 40 years, yet her story is unknown to most area residents. Flora was a remarkable woman who moved here in 1908 as the wife of the town doctor. She soon became a church and civic leader, an advocate for women and children and an entrepreneur; and she served as treasurer on Banks’ first city council when the town incorporated in 1920.
This project is funded, in part, by a grant to the Banks Historical Society from the Cultural Coalition of Washington County.
Historic Photos for Contest
IMAGE #1:
IMAGE #2:
IMAGE #3:
IMAGE #4:
