Nine local photographers went looking for the exact spots where Deerfield Beach's oldest photographs were taken, stood where the original cameras stood, and shot the same view as it looks today. The result, a side by side exhibit called Then/Now, is at the Deerfield Beach Historical Society's Mid-Century Museum and Cultural Center on SE 4th Avenue, and it has two showings left: Thursday, Oct. 15, and a final day on Saturday, Oct. 17.

What the exhibit is

The idea is simple and it works on anyone who has lived in Deerfield for more than a few years. Each vintage photo from the city's past hangs beside a new picture of the same place, taken from the same angle. The pairing on the society's own flyer shows the idea in one glance: a plain old house in a faded black and white print, and the same house today, painted bright and framed by tall palms. The fun is in standing in front of each pair, spotting what survived and what did not, and working out exactly where you are.

The photographers are all local, and the historical society's exhibit flyer names every one of them: Jeff Graves, Ben Hicks, Tony Brown, Tricia Chatterton-Goldrick, Scott Martin, Mark Lemanski, Tom Craig, Jim Rassol and Peter Stodolak. That is part of the appeal. This is Deerfield photographing itself, not an outside archive.

The video that runs alongside it

The exhibit comes with a short film, Deerfield Days, built from interviews with longtime locals. On Thursday, Oct. 15, the room is open from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and the video plays at 6. On the closing Saturday, Oct. 17, the exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the video at 10:30 a.m. and again at noon. Plan the visit around one of those screenings. Hearing people describe the town while the photographs of it are on the walls around you is the best way to see the show.

Admission is $5 per person, according to the flyer. The exhibit opened in mid September with a soft opening and has run on select Thursday evenings and Saturdays since, so this really is the last week. After Oct. 17 the pairs come down.

Where to go

The Mid-Century Museum and Cultural Center is at 84 SE 4th Ave., just off Hillsboro Boulevard in the old downtown. The historical society's homepage explains that the building was the mid-century modern home of Robert and Martha Butler, and that it sits across the street from the Historic Butler House, the 1920s home of pioneers James D. and Alice Butler. The society has turned the newer house into a gallery and gathering space for art classes, talks and small concerts.

The society itself dates to 1973, according to its About page. It was formed to save the city's early buildings, including a 1930s pioneer cottage and the old two room schoolhouse that once doubled as City Hall, and it took over the Butler House when the family left it to the society in 1977. One note for anyone hoping to make a morning of it: the society's tours page says the Butler House itself is closed for tours during October, so the photo exhibit is the main draw this month.

Questions go to the society at 954-429-0378 or [email protected].

Make it a Saturday

The Oct. 17 closing day lines up with a hands on class at the same address. The society's events calendar lists a decorate your own cement planter class from 10 a.m. to noon at 84 SE 4th Ave., so one person in the family can paint while the other walks the exhibit. The class is run by a local artist, and the calendar points to the artist for sign up details.

What comes next at the museum

If the exhibit leaves you wanting more local history, the society has two more programs coming up that build on it. On the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 21, Dana Eller and Sally Ling will tell the story of The Observer, the community newspaper that chronicled Deerfield Beach for 56 years, with memories from former editors, mayors and longtime residents. The event page asks guests to RSVP.

Then, from Friday, Oct. 30, through Sunday, Nov. 1, the society will set up Deerfrenda, a local take on the Day of the Dead ofrenda that honors Deerfield Beach pioneers and changemakers, with a screening of Pixar's Coco on the Friday evening.

Why it is worth the trip

Most of what changes in a town happens too slowly to notice. You drive Hillsboro Boulevard or A1A every day and the place you remember gets replaced a little at a time. Then/Now puts the before and after next to each other on one wall, shot by neighbors who went out and found the exact spots. It costs $5, it fits into a lunch hour, and after Saturday afternoon it is gone. If you have ever told someone what Deerfield used to look like, this is the week to go see whether you remembered it right.