BY MATT LINDSEYNorth Country This Week

LISBON — A decades-old mystery was solved thanks to a community effort and an unexpected find by a Lisbon resident.

David Zufall recently shared a discovery on the Ogdensburg history Facebook page, sparking community interest. Zufall rediscovered an old Box Brownie camera, a piece his father purchased for him around 20 years ago at a yard sale or auction in the Lisbon, Waddington, or Madrid area. 

While cleaning out his basement, Zufall came across the camera again, and inside the camera was a roll of undeveloped 120mm film.

He believes the photographs were likely taken around 40 years ago. 

“Unfortunately, there are no local film developers available anymore,” Zufall said. He said he made inquiries at various shops and schools, even taking the film to Walmart, but there were concerns about shipping such valuable items. 

Zufall reached out to SUNY Potsdam, where he had taken photography classes in 2019, but the school no longer offered film development services or had students available to help.

After finding a developer, Zufall sent the film to a lab in Buffalo. When photos were developed, they revealed images of two people, prompting Zufall to turn to the community for help identifying them.

The response came swiftly. Many people recognized the figures in the photographs as Johnson and Betty Flack, a couple in the Lisbon community. 

Johnson Flack (1899-1987) and Betty Flack (1918-2005) were well-known in the area. Johnson, also known as Jack, drove school bus, while Betty taught at Ogdensburg Free Academy (OFA).

“Sounds like many people knew them and they were dearly loved by the community,” Zufall said.

For those interested in reading more about the Flacks visit link to the original post.