October is American Archives Month at the West Virginia & Regional History Collection
Posted by Monte Maxwell.October 22nd, 2012
This year, archives across the region are celebrating American Archives Month with the theme of “Archives and Lifelong Learning.”
Archives like the West Virginia & Regional History Collection exist not just for the use of history scholars doing “serious research,” but also for high school students working on History Day papers, families researching the ownership of their land, and individuals writing their family histories.
Nearly half of the several thousand visitors to the WVRHC each year fall into the latter categories. The WVRHC is open to the public, and admission is free.
To help us celebrate American Archives Month, we invite you to pay us a visit, explore our facility, and examine our current exhibit which marks the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War. The display contains a wide range of items, including Stonewall Jackson’s writing set, the diaries of First Lieutenant (later Major) Fabricius A. Cather, and sheet music from the Civil War.
You can also visit us online at www.libraries.wvu.edu/wvcollection to find out more about the materials we have available.
For seasoned visitors, we also have many new collections to share. Included among them are West Virginia land records from 1865-1896 (A&M 3833), records regarding Kirtanananda Bhaktipada Swami who founded the New Vrindaban Hare Krishna community near Moundsville (A&M 3830), and photograph albums of student life at West Virginia University, ca. 1895-1900 (A&M 5164).
Don’t forget that June 20, 2013, will be the 150th anniversary of West Virginia’s admission to the Union. The WVRHC will unveil a special West Virginia Day Statehood Exhibit and host a speaker or two to celebrate the occasion. Check back in June for more information about our 150th Statehood Anniversary events.