== Hopewell Valley History Project == Hopewell Valley History Project Case Study: Public Library in Hopewell Douglas Dixon, May 17, 2020 A new volunteer effort to collect and organize the important sources of our local heritage in digital form, and share them online for open and convenient access. An introduction to the Hopewell Valley History Project Using a recent project on the Public Library in Hopewell as a case study in using the resources that we have collected Thanks to: Hopewell Valley Historical Society Hopewell Museum Pennington Library 5/17/2020 1
== Hopewell Valley History Project == Pre Present entation on Overview of the Project Case Study in Using the Resources: Public Library in Hopewell “Live” Demo of the Website 2 These notes cover the overview and case study. Then go online to explore the websites. See the Help information under the About menu for more on using the sites. 5/17/2020 2
== Hopewell Valley History Project == == Hope == Hopewell ll Va Valley His History ory == == Blessed with Organizations & People Preserving And Sharing Our History • Hopewell Valley Historical Society • Hopewell Museum • Pennington Library Museum – Hw 1909 • Hopewell Public Library • Hopewell Branch, Mercer Co. Library • Hopewell Valley Heritage Weekend • Trenton – Mercer Co. – N. J. State Library, State Archives • Hunterdon Co. (pre 1838) – Archives, Historical Society • Municipal Historic Preservation Commissions Hopewell: • Historic Preservation, Architecture, Archaeology A Historical Geography Hunter & Porter 3 We in Hopewell Valley are blessed to be surrounded by history, in the buildings and places. And we are blessed with local organizations and local people saving our history ‐ Reference shelves in Hopewell Library ‐ Archives at Museum and Historical Society ‐ Community events like Heritage Weekend ‐ Hopewell Branch Library hosts the HVHS archives ‐ Pennington and other local libraries also [co ‐ ]sponsor talks on historical topics ‐ Trenton nearby for state, county, township, and borough materials ‐ Hunterdon nearby for pre ‐ 1838 archives (before Mercer Co.) ‐ Municipalities supporting historic preservation ‐ Volunteers including professionals working in the area 5/17/2020 3
== Hopewell Valley History Project == == Genesis == Genesis of of the the Hope Hopewell ll Va Valley His History ory Pr Project == == Interested in investigating historical questions • How do you get started? Where do you go? • What are the key references? Where do you find them? Started collecting and organizing primary references • Building lists of sources and references • Find online (Library of Congress, university libraries) • Scan / photograph in municipal archives Shared online among ourselves … • Digital So make a public site (!) • Open and convenient access to digital copies 4 The Project began last summer with interest in local history inspired by the Hopewell Library’s Architecture Tour and Garden Tour ‐ We went through the process of spinning up on local history ‐ Started keeping notes of things to know ‐ Started collecting materials – local, online, site visits ‐ Organized as digital files, shared among ourselves ‐ So … next step was to make into a public site 5/17/2020 4
== Hopewell Valley History Project == == Hope == Hopewell ll Va Valley His History ory Pr Project == == A Volunteer Effort To Collect and Organize The Important Sources of Our Local Heritage In Digital Form to Share Online For Open and Convenient Access And Help Discover and Preserve Save Rare Documents From Oblivion Preserve Fragile Historical Documents 5 The Hopewell Valley History Project is: ‐ New, from this summer ‐ Volunteer, just friends and neighbors – no formal organization ‐ Purpose is to seek out, collect, organize primary documents of local history ‐ all as Digital files ‐ to Share online for all to access ‐ With the benefit of helping to re ‐ discover old documents. 5/17/2020 5
== Hopewell Valley History Project == == Hope == Hopewell ll Va Valley His History ory Pr Project == == Book and Map Archives The Book and Map Archives include 160 primary references for our local area, including historical books and pamphlets, documents on local history, historical and municipal maps, and aerial images. These are organized in tables for convenient exploring, searching, and viewing. Image Archives The Image Archives include 850 historical images from photos, postcards, and drawings showing local buildings and streets. Each image is identified by address and date, so scrolling through them shows how each property changed over time, and then moves house by house down the street. Hopewell History Map The interactive Hopewell History Map brings all this information together, starting with Hopewell Boro. Explore the town by viewing addresses on a map, and then click to view associated historical information, images, and documents detailing the history and architecture of selected properties. The three sites of the Hopewell Valley History Project ‐ Main site, with reference material ‐ Image site ‐ Interactive Map site 5/17/2020 6
== Hopewell Valley History Project == == Book == Book & Ma Map Ar Archiv chives es == == Historical Books and Documents • Historical Books (PDFs) • Atlas, History, Promotional, Industry, Suffrage • Historical Booklets and Pamphlets (scans) • Fire Dept, Library, School, Church, Calendar • Reports (municipal) • National Register Nomination • Cultural Resource Survey (1985) • Municipal – Master Plans, Preservation Plans • Research Projects / Notes Historical Maps and Aerials • Atlases – County, Township (1850s) • Towns – Buildings and owners • Panoramic Birds ‐ Eye View – Fowler (1887) • Fire Insurance – Sanborn (1890) • Municipal – Property, Tax • Aerials – Surveys (1920s) 7 The kind of materials that we are collecting, from online, local archives, and scanning from local collectors 5/17/2020 7
== Hopewell Valley History Project == == Im == Imag age Ar Archiv chives es == == Image Archives • Albums by Town: Hopewell Boro, Pennington Boro • Titusville / Washington's Crossing • Hopewell Township • Named by Street, number, date Sources • Books, Pamphlets, Booklets, Calendars [HPL] • Photos and Postcards – Local collectors Site Focus on Direct Access • Assembled – Organized archive of primary materials • Curated – Selected sources, scanned, text recognition, edited, TOC • Images identified by address & content • Access – Reduced sizes for download (readability, not wall posters) • Not Museum archive – Sharing digital copies & information 8 Plus images, with wonderful support from local postcard collectors All with a focus on making materials accessible 5/17/2020 8
== Hopewell Valley History Project == == Cas == Case Stu Study – Finding ding In Informatio ion == == Example: Public Library in Hopewell Borough • Have basic story • Want sources, exactly when and where Review Variety of Sources • Books – Published history • Newspapers – Events, narrative • Pamphlets – History, chronology • Cultural Resource Studies – Preservation • Maps – When buildings appear • Images – Photos and postcards … Then Can Dig Further • Papers, deeds, etc. 9 Case study based on recent work for Library Week. Typically progression from general idea to local research to using the resources on the site. To end up with a solid understanding … although always can dig further. 5/17/2020 9
== Hopewell Valley History Project == == Ea == Early Libr Librarie ies == == Hopewell Free Public Library founded 1914 Pennington Public Library founded 1876 “Hopewell Library Company” [Pennington] incorporated May 1806 “Hopewell Columbian Library” [Hopewell] incorporated May 1806 New Jersey Public Library Commission Travelling Libraries • Hopewell Grange serving outlying districts (early 1900s) Private Libraries • Mrs. Carter Library ‐ 15 E Broad at Seminary (Hopewell Bistro) • “Mrs. M. A. Carter, Library and Fancy Goods” [Fowler, 1887] • Dalrymple broadside (c 1900s) School Libraries • Sunday Schools, Public Schools [HH 9/1911] The Tabard Inn Library • For ‐ profit membership library, founded 1902 • Library Stations in drug stores and other businesses • Lifetime membership $3, books exchange tickets 25 / $1 • W. J. Braunworth’s Hopewell Cash Market [HH ad 1910] 10 And there’s more – Tantalizing references to other local libraries back to the early 1800s. People really like books! 5/17/2020 10
Recommend
More recommend
