Good news about TRHC's Collection

Though our museum is currently still closed to the public in compliance with Marin County guidelines, we are working behind the scenes to keep things going, and are continuing to publish our quarterly history Bulletin. And happily this “down time” will produce something very important for our growing Collection.

Over many years of acquisition, the History Center’s archive has grown faster than our ability to properly manage it, and we recently sought the help of a professional.  Thanks to our archival consultant, Lynn Downey — whose knowledge is broad and enthusiasm is infectious — our museum is on its way to a new phase in its more than 40-year existence.

Lynn is a historian, award-winning author, and long-time member and former chair of the Frank Lloyd Wright Civic Center Conservancy. She will be working a few days a week for the next several months as she inventories and organizes the entire collection, creates procedures, and eventually trains volunteers.  The result will be a well-organized and completely accessible archive. As the museum’s curator, I am both relieved and very pleased.      

what the Collection contains

Among our artifacts are items from the Miwok and the pre-settlement days to today: from trade beads and hand-carved bone knives to a railroad worker’s jack, a milker’s one-legged stool, and an Iron Age Potato Seeder that planted many local crops. On display is the medical bag of a local physician, complete with syringe, tourniquet, and surgical tools, and the pioneering Dutton family’s carriage mounting-block. We have artifacts ranging from tiny leather baby boots and handmade Christening gowns to a beautiful old typewriter — and the first computer the History Center staff purchased.

There are many pieces representing Tomales High School, including a nearly-complete collection of yearbooks beginning with the first issue, published in 1919, when the school still only contained two classrooms. Because we occupy the gymnasium/auditorium of the former THS — and because many of our board members, volunteers, neighbors, and members are THS alumni — this preponderance of pieces representing the school is especially appropriate.  

what the project will accomplish

Of course we can only use, learn from, and enjoy all these diverse and evocative bits of history if we can actually put our hands on them — as often as is prudent, literally. And with our growing archive this had become increasingly difficult.

A strong system of organization, beginning with an inventory of what we actually have, and including an aptly-named finding-aid, is what we’ve always needed — and what Lynn will produce for us. Eventually each artifact, ephemeral piece, and photograph will be on view at the museum to anyone via our digital catalog, and archival records of all kinds will be easily located by volunteers so that researchers may use them.

All of us at the History Center enthusiastically welcome Lynn Downey to our team! We intend to resume our regular schedules and events as soon as this is safe. In the meantime, we hope you’ll keep in touch with us through Facebook, the quarterly Bulletin, and our website. And I hope you’ll enjoy the images below, representing a very small sample of our Collection.

WWII handheld road sign indicating Blackout in progress

Bodega Creamery butter box

Carriage mounting block from the c. 1856 Warren Dutton family residence (The house, at site of today’s Community Park, was lost in Tomale’s 1920 fire)

This iron goat cart push toy was found buried in Tomales with wheels that still turn.

Memoir written by a Tomales High School teacher during WWII, who was not happy with her job!

pair of leather baby boots