Want to see what Columbia looked like to photographers of the Missouri Photo Workshop in 1949 and 1959? I found the images stunning.

Photographers come from across the U.S. and around the world to participate in this Workshop at the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism. Since 1949, Workshop participants have gone to a small town in Missouri each year to documenting lives there, according to an announcement on the Missouri School of Journalism Facebook page posted today.

Twice, Columbia was the town documented. These links to 1949 and 1959 will take you to a slideshow of haunting views of Columbia.

If you’re not from Columbia, here’s a link to find other towns which were featured.

There are no captions, only images. But I find myself wondering who are these people. Where are they today? Do they see themselves? Do they see our lives in 1949 or 1959?

Do you know them? Can you identify them?