Patrick Ashley is working meticulously to preserve Ogdensburg’s history. But you won’t find him at the library researching border skirmishes with the British or French settlements along both sides of the St. Lawrence River.
He works from his home computer to post enhanced photographs of street scenes and homes of the Maple City on the Facebook page – Ogdensburg Then & Now. The result is a showcase of stunning reproductions that breathe life into vintage scenes.
“I do this because I think it’s interesting to see what literally the human eye would have seen at that moment in time,’’ said Ashley, 63, an Ogdensburg native living in Victor, outside of Rochester. “It would not have been a black-and-white, grainy scene in real life. While some decry the use of AI to restore photos, when done right, it’s actually more accurate than the original, grainy black-and-white.’’
If you scroll through the Facebook page he manages, you’ll find a colorized reproduction of a Victorian home at 702 Pickering Street, once owned by Dr. E. Garfield Claxton. He has posted a shot of the Ogdensburg Prescott International Bridge amid its construction from July 1959. A sharpened black-and-white overhead image depicts downtown Ogdensburg before Urban Renewal initiatives demolished several historic buildings in the 1970s.
“I’ve come to realize how deeply people miss the old ‘Burg—especially downtown,” Ashley said. “Even mentioning urban renewal can stir up strong emotions; some react with anger or resentment when the topic comes up. I once shared a post about it on the “official” history page and was banned because of the backlash. That felt excessive. History, after all, includes both the good and the difficult parts.’’
Ashley started a Facebook page in 2013 entitled OFA Class Reunion, “a place for people to connect, plan reunions, catch up, and talk about OFA,’’ he said. “It did fairly well in that form, but I eventually realized it had the potential to be something more.’’
So he reworked the page, shifting the focus toward local history to encourage broader engagement.
“That change made a noticeable difference. Interest picked up quickly, and the page has grown to nearly double its previous size.’’
Ashley has deep roots in Ogdensburg. His parents, Harvey and Margaret Morley Ashley, built and owned Ashley’s Motel on Route 37, now the Stonefence Resort. Patrick graduated from OFA in 1981, enrolled in 1985 at SUNY Brockport, met his future wife, raised two children while moving between suburban Rochester, Moscow, Pa., and back to suburban Rochester.
His marriage broke up about 10 years ago, forcing him to reconsider his life plan.
“I’d spent more than a decade as a stay-at-home dad, and stepping back into the workforce felt daunting,’’ he said. “I didn’t have many marketable skills after being out of it for so long.
“Around that time, drones were just starting to take off. I’d always loved flying model airplanes as a kid and had an interest in photography, so the idea clicked: maybe I could combine those passions into something practical. I started offering drone services to real-estate agents as a way to earn some extra income.
“Before long, they began asking if I could handle other things like interior and exterior home photography.’’
He taught himself the basics of photography and turned it into his current business – InsideOut Photography. https://insideout.photography
His website touts that he has photographed more than 3,500 properties in the past seven years.
Ashley locates the topics for his Then & Now posts by checking online, examining history groups and visiting Pinterest. Then the restoration process begins.
“I’ll ask ChatGPT to create a prompt that makes it look photorealistic and like it was taken with a modern-day DSLR (digital single lens reflex camera); in other words, go back in time and take the same photo with a modern camera.’’
He doesn’t change the architecture but does add color. He runs the image through one program, then analyzes it in another program. Those applications correct each other, yielding a high-quality image.
He might have to repeat the process several times “until it reaches a point where it feels accurate, as accurate as you can be when you have to guess the colors of a Victorian home in 1880.’’
You can take the boy out of the ‘Burg, but not the ‘Burg out of the man. Although he lives 180 miles away, he remains devoted to his restorations.
“I grew up in Ogdensburg and spent the first 24 years of my life there. I go back often, still having friends up there, and keep in touch with the goings on with my group and others.’’
Morristown native Jim Holleran is a retired teacher and sports editor from Rochester. Reach him at jimholleran29@gmail.com or view past columns under “Reflections of River Rat’’ at https://hollerangetsitwrite.com/blog/
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