This Sunday kicks off Preservation Week – an annual, weeklong event intended to inspire people to preserve their family and community histories. The event takes place April 26 through May 2 with many communities finding ways to highlight the importance of preservation.
As I type this column, surrounded by more than 140 years of printed journalism, the importance of preservation is not lost on me. I’m in the process of establishing a more accessible and climate-friendly location for our archives while looking at the best options for preserving what we are printing today. The pages in these books are filled with births, weddings, events, triumphs, tragedies, and deaths. Their pictures act as time machines, providing us with a brief glimpse into clothing, hairstyles, landscapes, and trends.
This week, managing editor, Ben Chase, and I were able to sit down at the business fair held in the Huron Arena and showcase some of the century-old editions we have in our collection. It was great to watch students’ eyes as they read the datelines, turned the pages, and held actual pieces of history in their hands.
Later this year, we will unveil an area of the Plainsman building, available for research and student access, in honor of past publisher, Mark Davis. Mark’s stewardship of Beadle County’s recorded history helped retain one and a half centuries of locally printed material that is currently housed in our office. If you’re interested in Preservation Week, you can visit preservationweek.org for more information, webinars, and stories.
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