Do you have future plans? How ‘bout archiving the past? The Farmington Historical Society is reaching out to ask the community to engage in a winter project that will transform dusty books into vital vibrant databases. The FHS has over 50 scrapbooks of newspaper clippings filed away within the storage of its Titcomb House Museum.
“It started out during the pandemic as a project to keep from going crazy,” said FHS Member Claudia Bell. About a dozen scrapbooks were completed during the early days of lockdowns and social distancing. However, the only cataloged information for the vast majority of the scrapbooks is the year their clipped contents were harvested from newspapers of the day.
Theresa Overall, an FHS Trustee, is helping with the database structure. What is really needed is people willing to jump into the time machine and flip through the pages of articles documenting the daily life of Farmington from a wide range of years.
The end goal is to have a searchable database that will allow those who are doing research to be able to find content efficiently from a large collection that currently would require someone to perform a page-by-page search of their own.
The data collected for each article in a scrapbook will include dates, page numbers, headlines, roughly six pre-selected topics, lists of persons, special notes and an option for miscellaneous (what is life, and thus history, without miscellaneous). Each scrapbook will also have a table of contents.
The process and project was initially started by Eileen Adams, who was able to create a table of contents for about a dozen scrapbooks. Now, the modern day members have taken to the task of moving the project forward. “If we’re going to keep these items, we have to make them useful,” Claudia says. Bell also notes that the basics of numbering the pages are all little details that need to be done to be able to turn a closet of newspaper clippings into a functional tool of preservation and research. They will also work to note obituaries, marriages, and birth notices. These can be very helpful for telling not just the story of the town, but for people to trace their own personal ancestry.
Working to provide an archive for research, while also creating engaging presentations from the artifact collection is a balancing act. “Some days, it’s a challenge,” said FHS President Jane Woodman. “We have lots of items, but we also have space limitations.” To create exhibits and tell the story of these artifacts takes time and someone to learn the cohesive story. As an example, the museum has a large collection of military items, but is still working out how best to display them.
An example of a journey into these artifacts is a scrapbook that was donated pertaining to Stanwood Park, which used to exist in Farmington with a pasture and a golf course. That was back in the 1930’s, but Bell and Woodman both talked of how engaging with these materials can bring the past to life and provide the impetus for the types of presentations and programming FHS provides as part of its monthly meetings for both members and the community. “It’s all part of what makes it fun and useful,” said Bell.
While a general volunteering help is always welcomed, FHS also is working to provide specific projects that people can engage with, such as the Winter Scrapbook Project. “You don’t have to be a member,” Woodman said. “We’ll be inviting people who are interested to come in early February to learn the process.” The idea is to have a group orientation, following which people checkout a scrapbook to take home and catalog the information. Once that is completed, participants will bring the materials back and have a short meeting with FHS staff to go over the data collected. Support will be provided throughout the process.
“It’s a great winter time activity. A nice way to spend a winter day,” said Bell. “People begin to read and learn about life in 1918, or 1989.” People often get hooked from there. “We have some of these that go all the way back to 1895,” Woodman added.
If you’re interested in participating in this project, please reach out to the Farmington Historical Society via email at farmingtonmainehistoricalsoc@gmail.com. If you’d like to become a member of the society (I’m told there is no handshake, but that’s just what a society with a secret handshake would say, right?) you can reach out via email as well. The Titcomb House Museum, located at 118 Academy Street, will begin regular open houses starting in May and is open by appointment. Monthly meetings are held, featuring different speakers and presentations.
You can access previously recorded FHS presentations on the MBTV website by clicking here.
