MHS1948_01_2074aDigital archives thrive on collaboration and the Medford Historical Society’s Civil War Photo Collection  bears that out in  an especially meaningful and inspiring way. This massive collection of more than 3600 well preserved albumen prints was amassed by General Samuel Crocker Lawrence who commanded the Lawrence Light Guard during the Civil War. He went on to serve as Medford’s first mayor.

A feature article in Tufts Now traces how these prints were discovered on a second floor of the Medford Historical Society Museum in 1990 and came to be given very special care from the society, Civil War scholars, then Tufts Digital Collections and Archives, the New England Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) and the Digital Lab at the Boston Public Library.

The range of images includes portraits of military officers and their wives, camp scenes, battlefields, cannons, cities in ruin and more. The work of notable Civil War photographers George Bernard and Andrew Russell and those who studied under Matthew Brady (the seminal Civil War photographer) are included in the archive. Not surprisingly, some are untitled and dated simply 1861-1865.  The collection is a valuable tool for researchers, students, teachers and history aficionados.

 

 

John Kennedy portrait
Portrait of John F. Kennedy from Historic New England. One of the politicians honored at Doyle’s.

Every town has one.  The general store where everyone discusses local politics.  The church where the community has potluck dinners.  The community center where the schools and amateur theater troupe put on shows.  They’re gathering places that you can’t imagine losing because they’ve always been there.  Until they’re not.

Someone retires, a weather disaster occurs, an owner gets an offer too good to decline and that local institution is gone.  What can you do to preserve it?  In Boston, the latest example was the closing of Doyle’s Cafe.  Doyle’s was an institution in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood, known for attracting politicians and generations of families.  And for the memorabilia on its walls.  When the decision was made to close, the owners held an auction of its contents.

As reported on the Irish Central website, Digital Commonwealth and the Boston Public Library are teaming up to digitize any item purchased at the auction.  So, if you are losing a local institution and you can’t add its contents to your collections, think about having them digitized.  Chances are you have an image, maybe a map, that includes the institution, why not have a digital image of the furnishings, the banners, the costumes?  Enrich the memories and your collections before they’re lost.

State Street looking toward Pleasant Street in the 1950s
State Street looking towards Pleasant St. circa 1950s from The Snow Photograph Collection

The Daily News of Newburyport recently published articles on October 22, 2019, Museum program focuses on historic photo collection, and October 24, 2019, Museum unveils extensive photo archive, about the  Historical Society of Old Newbury, Snow Historical Photograph Collection. Both articles report on a lecture on the highlights of the collection.  Both also mention that this extensive collection of photographs was donated to the society in an uncatalogued state.  The Society volunteer team sorted and catalogued the photos.  It was two years before they were able to send them to Digital Commonwealth for digitizing.

Now you can enjoy these wonderful photos on Digital Commonwealth at any time of the day or night.  Just follow the links…

Scene from the Pageant of Cape Cod, held on the banks of the Cape Cod Canal
Scene from the Pageant of Cape Cod, held on the banks of the Cape Cod Canal from Bourne Archives

Is yours one of the 175 Massachusetts communities that have adopted the Community Preservation Act (CPA)?  Then maybe you, like Bourne, should consider applying for CPA funding.  The Bourne Enterprise on September 6, 2019 and Wicked Local Sandwich on September 9, 2019 reported that the Bourne Archives applied for $28,000 to train staff and volunteers and for new computers and software, specifically to continue to add material to Digital Commonwealth.  Wait, aren’t Digital Commonwealth’s services free?

Yes, Digital Commonwealth’s services are free.  And the Bourne Archives has contributed two collections to Digital Commonwealth already.  But they want to do more and they know their staff and volunteers need training to do more research and data creation before sending materials to Digital Commonwealth.  And who among us couldn’t use a new computer and up-to-date software?  The point is if you’ve been reluctant to add new collections to Digital Commonwealth because your organization lacks these same elements,maybe a CPA grant is the answer for you, too.

Check if your community has adopted the CPA here.  If it’s not, the Community Preservation Coalition overview will explain the steps it needs to take.

As always, you can contact Digital Commonwealth for advice and assistance.  We’re here for you, Massachusetts.

Fences
Fences from the Leslie Jones Collection, Boston Public Library

The Beacon Hill Times reported on historic iron fences in Boston central neighborhoods on August 22, 2019.  In addition to explaining how to care for existing iron fences, the Times advised readers:

If a historic fence is non-existent, he [Joe Cornish, Director of Design Review for the Boston Landmarks Commission] suggested looking for historic images at the South End Historical Society, backbayhouses.org, Historic New England, the Bostonian Society, Digital Commonwealth, and the City Archives. [Emphasis added.]

To prove that the Times and Joe Cornish are not misdirecting you, see fences (like the one on the left) on the Digital Commonwealth website – which includes images from Historic New England and the City Archives, too.  You’ll find fences of iron, wood, concrete, you name it.

Thanks, Beacon Hill Times and Joe, for spreading the word.

Children with basketball
Children with basketball, from Arlington Historical Photograph Collection

Wicked Local Arlington reported June 28, 2018 that they were going to have a Throwback Thursday feature this summer.  And where were they finding their Throwbacks?  The Robbins Library collections on Digital Commonwealth.  They were particularly taken with the photos from the Arlington Town Life series commissioned by the Robbins Library in Arlington from Norman Hurst.  The series contains everyday moments of life in Arlington, like the children with basketball photo on the left.

If you don’t have the patience to check back every Thursday, just hop on over to the Arlington Historical Photograph Collection, c. 1885-1992 from the Robbins Library on Digital Commonwealth.  With over 200 years of history, there should be a photo of interest for everyone!

Map of the Town of Weymouth, Norfolk County, Mass.Weymouth Room and Local History Collections
Map of the Town of Weymouth, Norfolk County, Mass. Weymouth Room and Local History Collections

Digital Commonwealth partners Weymouth Public Library and Lee Library Association were in the news last month.

Wicked Local Weymouth in an article entitled, Weymouth Public Libraries announces programs, reports on the Weymouth Public Libraries adding more digitized items from the Weymouth Historic Collections to the Digital Commonwealth.  Highlights include more items concerning abolitionism and the Civil War, as well as maps of Weymouth dating from 1854 and 1880. The map from 1853 (left) is especially interesting because it marks the locations of houses with the names the residents. The items featured on Digital Commonwealth are a selection of the materials in the Weymouth Room and Local History Collections. Finding aids describing the contents of the collections in detail are viewable online here.  Original materials are viewable in person by appointment.  What’s available on Digital Commonwealth is viewable anytime, anywhere you have Internet access.

South-western view of LeeLee Library Historical Collection
South-western view of Lee Lee Library Historical Collection

The Berkshire Eagle’s article, Lee Library Association: A history lesson, just a click away, extols the Lee Library Association’s efforts to identify, preserve and provide online access to its collection of photographs, postcards and prints.  Over 25 years ago, local volunteers organized and categorized the collection over 5 years.  When Mary Philpott, president of the Lee library, learned about Digital Commonwealth in 2013, she immediately signed up to begin what became a 4-year process of getting the collection digitized.  Digital Commonwealth staff really appreciated all the hard work done by the Lee volunteers.  The more data cultural institutions can supply, the faster Digital Commonwealth can process their collections.  For the Lee Library Association the reward was that their historical collections were no longer “sitting in boxes”. Now everyone with an interest in Lee history can see them.

 First Armenian Mirror Spectator writers and readers reunion from the Project SAVE Archives Banquet and Panoramic Photo Collection.
First Armenian Mirror Spectator writers and readers reunion from the Project SAVE Archives Banquet and Panoramic Photo Collection.

The Armenian Mirror-Spectator posted an article called, “Project Save hosts an afternoon of thanks for donors and supporters” on December 7, 2017.  You may remember Project SAVE from our October 9, 2017 blog post when we highlighted them as one of our new collections from September.  The article mentions, as we did, that Project SAVE had Digital Commonwealth digitize over 200 photographs from their collection as part of their effort to bring “awareness to our work beyond the Armenian community”.  Project SAVE also is collaborating with the USC Shoah Foundation to create educational resources for students of genocides.

Consider adding your collections to Digital Commonwealth if you, too, want to expand your reach beyond your core audience.