Wiregrass Common Heritage Programs to be Held at Landmark Park

Matt Boster

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Posted by: Matt Boster
Date: May 23 2016 11:45 AM

DOTHAN: Two Wiregrass Common Heritage Programs will be held at Landmark Park during the month of June. The purpose of the Wiregrass Common Heritage Project is to enhance residents' understanding of the importance of their historical documents and photographs, and to preserve and make them available for researchers in the Wiregrass and across the state.

On June 4, Dana Chandler, archivist at Tuskegee University, will present “Preserving Your Family Archives” at Landmark Park from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.Unfortunately, we live in a throw-away-world, but we cannot replace the past, we cannot replicate those intangible feelings that come when we see something on display that represents our shared past. Questions abound concerning how we take care of those things which embody our past and our relationship with it. This workshop will discuss preserving your family treasures. The archives staff will give special focus to preventive preservation measures, which are simple to achieve and are more economical than the options available once damage is done. Topics covered will include kinds of storage supplies to use, temperature and humidity ranges to aim for, where to store valuable items, matting and framing guidelines, reducing the risks of light and water damage, and how to deal with damage. This program is free with your paid gate admission. Registration is required as attendance is limited to 35. Lunch will be provided. For more info visit www.spectrum.troy.edu/WiregrassHeritage/June_4_workshop.html.

There are many "Hidden Collections" of historically significant letters, diaries, photographs, and other personal and family materials in most communities. People often don't believe that their papers and photos are interesting to more than their own family. But archivists and historians are vitally interested in such treasures for the information they provide about life in the community. Community Scanning Days are a way families and individuals can share their historical papers and photographs with researchers in the area and around the world. On June 25, residents are invited to bring 12 unpublished family archival items, including letters, photographs, etc (no published materials please), to scan. Participants will receive copies of the scans as well as preservation materials for the scanned items. Community members are encouraged to give copies of the scans to the Wiregrass Archives to post online on the Alabama Mosaic website. Visit www.spectrum.troy.edu/Wiregrass Heritage/community_scanning_days.html.

This effort is funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Common Heritage Program. Project co-directors are Dr. Martin T. Olliff and Dr. Robert S. Saunders. Local project partners include The Wiregrass Archives, Troy University Dothan Campus; The Department of History and Philosophy, Troy University Dothan Campus; Landmark Park and Dothan Houston County Library System.

Landmark Park is a 135-acre natural and cultural history museum and serves as Alabama’s Official Museum of Agriculture. The park is located on U.S. Hwy 431, three miles north of Dothan’s Ross Clark Circle. For more information, contact the park office at 334-794-3452.

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