What does it mean to have an archives or collection?
Aerial View of Pinecrest Village
MCHS Volunteer, Phil (right), shares research with guest
The Manitowoc County Historical Society has been preserving items from our local history since its founding in 1906. As the collection has grown and expanded to include various photographs, newspapers, treasured items, and even buildings, it is important to preserve these pieces to tell the stories of our community's past. The National Archives is celebrating American Archives Month throughout October but what does this mean at a local level?
For many people, when they imagine archives or museum collections, they think of old dusty books, kept in a locked room either underground or in some secret part of an institution. Or collections are something that some intrepid explorer finds and brings back to the Museum to be kept behind glass. Hollywood has done an excellent job at glamourizing what it looks like to work in an archive or collection; except perhaps in the cases of the biggest museums, or biggest archive collections. Glamourized collection rooms are big, towering bookcases filled with tomes of the historic and unknown, waiting to be rifled through by the right researcher in order to discover a long lost secret. These depictions are cool and exciting, but not close to real life for 90% of museums, historical societies or other similar institutions.
The Society of American Archivists defines an archive as “a physical or digital collection of historical records or a curated online or physical collection of information and contextual data relating to a particular theme.” In plain words, this means an archive is a gathered collection of historical records relating to a theme, like a county, town or city. They define a collection as “materials assembled by a person, organization, or repository from a variety of sources.” In other words historic items gathered by a person, organization or otherwise relating to a specific theme. One may ask, how does this relate to the Manitowoc County Historical Society's mission?
At the Manitowoc County Historical Society, we are extremely fortunate to have such a passionate community that is engaged in preserving local history. We have over 10,000 3-D artifacts, over 16,000 document records and over 25,000 photographic records from around Manitowoc County; dates ranging from our earliest land purchases in the 1830s and 1840s, to modern documents that mark the ever-going passage of time. We would not have such an amazing collection of documents or artifacts if our community did not believe in holding onto their past. Our archive volunteers work tirelessly every week to document and catalogue all of our donated records so that they may be preserved for future reference - from letters, scrapbooks and birth records, to posters, kitchen utensils, business advertising and more.
Our collection extends further than just the items in our archive records room. Most people don’t think of our collection extending to our Pinecrest Historical Village. Each building, each cabinet, chair and picture are part of our collection. Each of the items inside our buildings, and the buildings themselves, had to be accessioned and become part of our records and the story of the Manitowoc County Historical Society. All of our buildings are over 100 years old, some closer to 150 years old. The age of the buildings alone could make them part of any grand collection. And while it might not be an object one would initially assume is part of a collection, such as a brush, a book, a toy, or letter; are buildings not objects in their own right?
We are very fortunate that our buildings are not roped off or have glass or wooden railings to block off areas of the houses or buildings. During our Spring, Summer and Fall seasons our guests can step into the space of our historic village and have the experience of, “Wow. This is what it was like to stand in this space 100 years ago”. Which is a rare treat compared to other historical institutions. We take pride in maintaining our village in order to allow our guests to step into the past and create their own story. That is difficult to do when you have to lean over a rope, railing or glass to see into a room or space; it doesn’t evoke the same feeling. While it is understandable why places might be blocked off; such as having delicate and unique items, keeps more areas clean from footprints etc., it’s nice to be able to walk into rooms and have a point of view from someone who lived or worked in a space.
Those that are interested in having research questions answered should go on our website https://www.manitowoccountyhistory.org/research and fill out a request form. A research request must be made prior to making an appointment. After our volunteer archivists receive your request and browse our files for related materials, our team will be in contact to set up an in-person research viewing appointment or send you digital copies of materials found. Copies of this online form can also be mailed upon request.
We are often asked, "How can I donate something to the Manitowoc County Historical Society?" If you have an item you would like to donate to our archives, you can fill out our online form on our website https://www.manitowoccountyhistory.org/donatetoarchives. As we plan for the future, prudent development of our artifact collection is especially important. Decisions are based on your object’s history and significance to the history of the Manitowoc County region, and its relationship to artifacts already in our collection. The Manitowoc County Historical Society accepts donations of original materials documenting the history of our community. Items cannot be dropped off at the museum without prior approval by museum and archives staff.
To learn more about the rich history of our community and the important work of preserving the stories, items, and places of our past, plan your visit our historic archives today.