Dear Members and Friends:
As we close 2019, reflecting on the honor it is to volunteer for this society, I want to recognize the many individuals dedicating time to this museum. I need to thank all of you. This society’s growth is dependent on its memberships, longtime to our most recent.
Dedicated volunteers, from our board to our youngest docent, you are the backbone of the museum. Since my term began, the Wednesday docents have worked very hard to update our database, allowing for more content description and photos of each item searched. The process of entering the data is very detailed, but our docents have made great progress getting our museum digitized. We have a state-of-the-art microfilm machine gifted to the Society from the Sahli-Wells family. Knowing we will soon be able to access the Star News from 1950-1980 will bring new light to researching.
And the acquisitions! Where to begin? Iconic motion picture cast photos, Red Skelton’s fan mail, buried items at the Ivy Station dig, Stan Laurel’s bow tie, Little League collection and, on loan, the bible used in the 1935 version of Mutiny on the Bounty. Our two biggest donations (literally) were from the Art Directors Guild, four original MGM backdrops, and the 12’ x 3’ wide stained-glass window from The Magnificent Ambersons. I am grateful to Steve Auer and Hackman Capital Partners for including the Historical Society in the preservation effort of four film historic windows, three from Ambersons and the finale window from Gone with the Wind. Over the past 80 years, The Culver Studios property has had many owners, and housed these beautiful pieces of film history.
I look forward to another two years as President and hope we see you on January 15 for our board installation. Peace, Love, and Preservation!
Happy New Year!
Hope