ARC Update Spring 2010

by Winston Gieseke, Vice President, Museum/ARC

2010: A NEW YEAR AHEAD!

As the new year races to the midway mark, it continues to be an exciting time at the CCHS Archives & Resource Center (ARC), and as the new Vice President, Museum/Archives, I’m thrilled to have joined the roster of hardworking and dedicated people seeking to preserve the rich history of Culver City and keep it alive and accessible to us and future generations.

I’ve always had a passion for history and artifacts – especially those related to the movie industry – and I’m looking forward to furthering the terrific work begun by Martha & Sol Sigall, who are thankfully still very much involved in the process.

GOALS FOR THE ARC

One of my main goals for the museum this year is to continue exploring, organizing, and cataloguing the Society’s collection of valuable city artifacts and research tools. With our electronic database up and running, all we need is the time and manpower to bring these important historical pieces to the electronic age.

This goes for everything from 3-D objects like the MGM & Fiesta La Ballona costumes and books to two-dimensional ones such as photographs, newspapers and personal papers from the collection of Harry Culver – all of which illustrate the museum’s unique and important role in the cultural life of Culver City.

Martha & Sol will be focusing their attention on the museum’s vast collection of photographs, while Louise Coffey-Webb will continue her painstaking work with costumes. I will be tackling the rest with the help of other board members and volunteers who are interested in helping us with this exciting and valuable process.

DISCOVERING OUR CITY’S PAST

Archiving is worthwhile work, as every piece can be a doorway to discovery into our city’s past. But it’s not an overnight process by any means. A true archive is never really finished as there is always something new to be learned or accessioned into the collection.

This is where Society members come in to the picture. Your history, memories, and information are extremely vital to this project, and we welcome you to visit the museum during our public hours and share them with us.

As the collection grows, so will the museum’s exhibits, allowing us to rotate displays and share additional history with you on a regular basis.

Culver City Historical Society & THE INTERNET

Another goal is to expand the CCHS’s presence on the Internet, building a website to provide up-to-date information on Society events and museum goings-on to keep everyone informed.

As always, the ARC will be open to the public on the first and third Saturdays of each month as well as by appointment. We look forward to seeing you there.

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