CenterPiece February 2018

INSIDE THIS ISSUE President's Note............................................................3 Collections .....................................................................4 Technology.....................................................................4 Events Calendar........................................................5-6 Development .................................................................7 Education .......................................................................8 Library & Archives.........................................................9 WHAT'S NEXT? Over the past year, extensive planning work has been done toward making the new History Center Museum a reality for 2020. One of the major components of the new museum will be the core exhibit that promises to offer engaging, interactive, and layered experiences for all ages. In January of 2017 the York County History Center hired an exhibit design firm, PRD Group LLC out of Chantilly, Virginia. PRD brings a wealth of experience to the History Center project, and they are tasked with developing and creating the core exhibit. Additionally, PRD will continue to work with the History Center’s architectural design firm, Warehaus, to ensure that the interaction between the overall building plan and the visitor experience are compatible. Recently, the History Center and PRD completed the exhibit’s conceptual design phase. In simple terms, the concept design creates a broad understanding of the exhibit experience and acts as a roadmap that identifies key features, interactions, and objects, especially understanding how macro artifacts might populate the two story exhibit space. The conceptual plan also provides an understanding of how a visitor will move through and participate with the exhibit both spatially and intellectually. Overall, the conceptual design represents about 20% completion of the overall exhibit design project. Major highlights of the exhibit will include key stories centered on three themes: Building, Growing, and Making. These themes will illustrate how York County’s history, heritage, and cultural makeup form a network February 2018 Volume 3 Issue 1 continued on p.2 CENTER PIECE February 2018 Volume 3 Issue 1 1

cont'd from page 1 February 2018 Volume 3, Issue 1 Mission: To inspire the exploration of the history, people and culture of our county, state and nation. As a non-profit organization, the History Center utilizes collections, historic sites and museums to help tell the American story. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair: Robert A. Kinsley II Vice Chair: The Rev. Patrick Rooney, STS Treasurer: Cynthia Dotzel that connects the past to the present. Punctuated by the History Assistant Treasurer: Richard Randall Center’s historic collections, archival and object, as well as from Secretary: Steve Feldmann personal stories both past and present, York County’s ingenuity and innovation will be showcased from the local perspective to the Assistant Secretary: Nadine Hubner international level. In addition, visitors will have the opportunity to Immediate Past Chair: Thomas Shorb tell their own story, and share it, becoming a part of York County’s past, present and future. At Large Members: In December, the History Center Board of Directors approved Fran Polk, Jim May, James Tanzola moving forward with the design development phase, the next step of the exhibit design process. Over the next several months, History Center interpretive staff and community members, along Members with PRD, will be working on detailed historic and object research, Mandy Arnold, Debbie Bieber, Rebecca selecting artifacts for display, choosing stories and storylines, and developing how objects will be presented or displayed physically Countess, Krista Darr, Scott Deisley, Tim or through the use of technology. As this exciting work continues Fulton, George Gard, Ron Hershner, Jeff to move forward, the History Center will continue to update the Hines, Rick Hogentogler, David Hogg, Jeff community on the progress and seek the community’s input, which has been invaluable to the process already, to help guide the Lobach, Glenn Miller, Rep. Kristin Philips- completion of the new History Center Museum. Hill, Genevieve Ray, Joanne Shannon, Tim Sutherland, David Walsh, Dan Waltersdorff, - Vice President of Interpretation Dan Roe Cal Weary, Brad Willow, Winnie DeGennaro* [email protected] *Friends Representative 2 CENTER PIECE February 2018 Volume 3, Issue 1

Together, private and public film, furniture, or costumes to monies provide critical leverage name a few – must have a location to access New Market Tax Credits, identification so that after a an essential component of our move it can be properly placed PRESIDENTIAL funding stack which we are and documented in the new space. This is also true for the currently pursuing. To complete NOTE the $20M project, we continue to Library & Archives although those collections typically are confined, advance an Historic Tax credit application and seek grants to thus more stable and manageable. fund exhibit components. Regardless, this portion of the Just before the holidays an project will take several years to acquaintance quipped that we Simultaneously, the exhibits complete prior to the move and must be making great progress move from concept to design continue long afterward. It is on the move to the Steam Plant development, meaning our entirely possible that collections property. As I rattled off the thematic framework created packing will commence in late steps recently taken the person in response to community 2019. clarified, inquiring how much of conversations begins to evolve into the collection we had packed. It a narrative punctuated with York Building a new museum, moving was a great question to ask as County artifacts and stories. In an existing collection and creating it seems natural to move after these exhibit designs educational a highly sought experience- based the tremendous fundraising experiences and interactives place that showcases York success we have experienced. That are developed and tested. And County’s exceptionally rich and accomplishment, coupled with eventually, renderings and exhibit deep history is complex and worth the conceptual designs for the visuals mature into more concrete every moment that we put into building and exhibits documented designs. This process is targeted this work. on social media, in print and on to finish in September 2018. our website is a logical conclusion. Our goal to create a source of However, given the magnitude of Architectural design development immense pride in York County, a this project there are a number of work commences this winter after place that honors the past – all of priorities to be addressed before the Board of Director’s acceptance it – and establishes connections boxing our collection. of the schematic designs in between our history and our December. These drawings provide future, takes years to develop. We As many of you already know, the details for the Historic Tax Credit have made great strides toward History Center was immensely application and the final design our future; we hope you will fortunate to receive a $7M RACP for construction contractors which continue to help us in this quest. (Redevelopment Assistance will be selected through an RFP Capital Program) grant days process this February or March. before Christmas. All of us are tremendously grateful to the York Behind the scenes we have President & CEO County Legislative Delegation, engaged additional help to Joan Mummert former Mayor Kim Bracey, Kevin inventory the three dimensional [email protected] Schreiber from the YCEA (York collections at the Agricultural County Economic Alliance) and and Industrial Museum and especially Governor Wolf for this the Historical Society Museum. critical boost to the adaptive reuse Conducting an inventory is an of the former Met-Ed steam plant important accountability function building. We are pleased to share for collections to adequately that we meet the requirement to know the contents and locations match these funds. in preparation for a move. Each artifact – for example paper based, CENTER PIECE February 2018 Volume 3, Issue 1 3

TECHNOLOGY interactive experience. First, a complete inventory of all the artifacts has never been done Next will be an evaluation of in its entirety. Previously, some the software used in other small-scale inventories of specif- departments, with the goal of ic areas or collections were com- integration for greater efficiency pleted, but due to overextended and cohesiveness. staff, the information was never entered into the database. Manager of Technology Second, before we move we need Initiatives to know exactly what we have Gail Myer versus what is in our logbooks, object files, and electronic data- [email protected] In preparation for our move base. This will allow us to verify to the Steam Plant, the History or add information about the Center has been looking at COLLECTIONS artifacts in the collection, such the software products we use as official artifact names, acces- internally to manage our day- INDISPENSIBLE sion numbers, object numbers, to-day operations. We want to INVENTORY brief descriptions, current make sure we are as efficient as physical condition of the artifact, possible with our time and that In terms of next steps for the dimensions, and donor informa- we ensure the integrity of our Collections Department, our tion. data. current challenge is to ensure the smooth move of the artifacts Third, a complete inventory will Our departments utilize several from our various buildings into give us accurate locations for databases to assist with the their new homes. Like any move, every artifact owned by, loaned work we do. In the fall, our this process can be very stressful to, or loaned out to other orga- Collections Department, along and complicated. nizations by the History Center. with the Library & Archives, did Locations are vital because we a software assessment of the The Collections Department is will be logging every artifact that collections management package beginning the very tedious and leaves the History Center, then they currently use. Armed with important task of inventorying logging it in upon arrival and this information, we researched and rehousing the tens of thou- placing it in its new storage other software products available sands of artifacts that need to location. All updates will be ac- to history organizations. be moved. Many are wondering complished in real time in order why we are going through the that we always know exactly We narrowed the list to three demanding process of a full- where every artifact is. software packages. We saw scale inventory. We get questions demonstrations and actually test- about why we do not just put the The number one goal is that drove each one. Decisions will be artifacts in boxes, load them in a every artifact that leaves its made very soon. This is a critical car, drive them to wherever they current location arrives at its component to the new museum, will be stored and place them on new home undamaged. impacting the exhibits and the a shelf in their new home. Some of the artifacts in our col- continued on p.9 4 CENTER PIECE February 2018 Volume 3, Issue 1

WHAT OUR ICONS MEAN! CALENDAR OF $ EVENTS Adults One- Admission program Family charged time event Visit www.yorkhistorycenter.org for more information! FEBRUARY ALLVETS SOUTH CENTRAL PA. February 28, 7 p.m. GENEALOGICAL Historical Society Museum, SOCIETY Library & Archives February 4, 2:15 p.m. Hear Ed Hott, a U.S. Army Historical Society Museum, veteran who served in Korea, as Library & Archives he shares his story. Jeffrey Kirkland: \"Reflections on MARCH the African-American Experience in York.\" FASTNACHT DAY SOUTH CENTRAL PA SECOND SATURDAY February 13, 9:30 a.m.-noon GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY February 10, 10:30 a.m. Historical Society Museum, March 4, 2:15 p.m. Historical Society Museum, Library & Archives Historical Society Museum, Library & Archives The Friends of the History Library & Archives Jim McClure: \"What Makes York Center welcome you in for Richard Konkel: \"The Scotch County, York County.\" complimentary fastnachts, Irish: Their Origins in the British coffee, and hot chocolate! Isles and Their Impact in South YORK CIVIL WAR Central Pennsylvania.\" ROUND TABLE February 21, 7 p.m. Historical Society Museum, Library & Archives Cooper Wingert: \"Abolitionists in South Central Pennsylvania.\" $ FACEBOOK LIVE! PAINT IT YORK February 10, 6-8 p.m. March 8, 4 p.m. Historical Society Museum, Historical Society Museum, Library & Archives Library & Archives Inspired by the Our Artists, Our Join History Center officials on Stories exhibit, this is a \"sip and Facebook (www.facebook.com/ paint\" night where you'll create yorkcountyhistorycenter) for an your own version of the Colonial interactive update on the status Court House on canvas! of the Steam Plant project. If Instructor: Ellen Ehlenbeck. you'd prefer to join us in person, Supplies provided; register feel free to join our audience at online. the museum. CENTER PIECE February 2018 Volume 3, Issue 1 5

SECOND SATURDAY ALLVETS YORK CIVIL WAR ROUND TABLE March 10, 10:30 a.m. March 28, 7 p.m. April 18, 7 p.m. Historical Society Museum, Historical Society Museum, Historical Society Museum, Library & Archives Library & Archives Library & Archives Eleanor Boggs Shoemaker: \"The Hear Art Lentz, a WWII veteran, Michael S. Jesberger: \"The H.L. History of the York County Parks.\" 91 years young, share the story Hunley, Confederate Submarine.\" of his service. Re-scheduled from March 2017. $ APRIL PAINT IT YORK ART & LEISURE AUCTION March 10, 6-8 p.m. SEASONAL SITES $ April 20, 6 p.m. Historical Society Museum, RE-OPEN Agricultural & Industrial Library & Archives April 7, 9 a.m. Museum Inspired by the Our Artists, Our Colonial Complex, Fire This year's Art & Leisure Auction Stories exhibit, this is a \"wine and Museum moves to a new location and painting\" night where you'll create offers lots of fun surprises at your own version of the Golden SOUTH CENTRAL PA. the annual spring fundraiser. Plough Tavern on canvas! GENEALOGICAL Instructor: Ellen Ehlenbeck. SOCIETY Supplies provided; register online. April 8, 2:15 p.m. Historical Society Museum, Library & Archives Aaron McWilliams: \"Navigating Pennsylvania's Revo- lutionary War Militia Records.\" SECOND SATURDAY April 14, 10:30 a.m. Historical Society Museum, Library & Archives Ernie Heffner: \"Abraham Lincoln's Assassination and Funeral Train.\" GO GREEN IN THE CITY April 21, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Colonial Court House YORK CIVIL WAR Tours of the Golden Plough Tavern and General Gates House ROUND TABLE will start at the rear of the March 21, 7 p.m. Tavern every half hour between Historical Society Museum, 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Admission is Library & Archives $2 for visitors 12 and older. The Joseph Mieczkowski: \"The 1863 Colonial Court House is open 10 New York City Draft Riots.\" a.m. - 3 p.m. with free admission. 6 CENTER PIECE February 2018 Volume 3, Issue 1

DEVELOPMENT What’s Next in Sustainability? ART & LEISURE IS GETTING Building our Future through Endowment A NEW LOOK in 2018! The past is your lesson. The present is your gift. The On Friday, April 20, 2018 join us as we future is your motivation. celebrate a \"new era\" for the Art & Leisure -Author unknown Auction. The History Center is most grateful to all of our We'll switch it up a bit, with a soon-to-be donors who make it possible for future generations announced theme, a new locale at the Agricul- to learn about and enjoy our rich history. And, while tural & Industrial Museum, and a new format you may have enjoyed the benefits of membership including live music following the auction. and perhaps even given an additional gift to support the Annual Fund or the Placing History at the Center Will you be a Table Sponsor? campaign, did you know you can designate funds to provide for the care and maintenance of a specific Get in on the fun as the Presenting Sponsor or program, department or collection? The History a Premier Table sponsor and show the world Center’s General Endowment is a collection of funds that you care about York County History! that provides a permanent income stream to preserve York County’s historical legacy. We can’t wait to have you join us! A planned gift may be given for general purposes and Also, do you have a great treasure or an used at the discretion of the Board, or it experience you could offer? To discuss or may be expressly designated, or restricted, for a arrange donation please contact David Henry, specific program. We have several endowed funds that Special Events Coordinator at have been established based on the donor’s particular [email protected] or interest in and commitment to the History Center. (717) 848- 1586 ext 226. For example, we have a fund that specifically supports Library activities and another that provides a stipend Auction ideas: a vacation home, day trip on a for interns who work in Collections. The possibilities yacht, golfing, dining in your home, cooking are endless! class, one on one art experience, ski package, wine experience, private music recital, We invite you to consider making an endowment gift fly fishing, antique appraisal, a hobby or craft in 2018 to support the History Center’s mission and experience...the possibilities are endless! the legacy you wish to leave York County. To discuss, please contact Terri Altland, Director of Development at (717)848-1587 ext 216 or email [email protected]. Director of Development Terri Altland [email protected] Art & Leisure 2016 CENTER PIECE February 2018 Volume 3, Issue 1 7

EDUCATION Plan Now to Save Later: An Estate Planning Seminar Attorney Thomas M. Shorb from the law firm of Stock & Leader, LLP and the York County History Center will present a free seminar on current developments in tax and estate planning on Thursday, May 17, 2018 at 11:30 a.m. The seminar is open to the public and will be held at the Historical Society Museum, Library & Archives. Curriculum Connections With the exhibit concept Estate planning tools, planning for retirement accounts, and themes of Building, Growing, charitable giving techniques and Making as the foundation Though winter is often referred of the planning, we are will be highlighted in the presentation. A complimentary to as the “quiet time” at the developing programs for light lunch will be provided. History Center, the Education students that include cross- Department is still busy behind curricular connections, Shorb is a partner in the law firm the scenes. In addition to including STEAM concepts. of Stock & Leader, LLP, where he planning programs for 2018 and The planning includes both serves as the Chair of the Estate preparing for the bustle of the onsite programs and outreach. Practice Group. He is also past summer season, we are thinking Conversations with teachers chair of the History Center Board about the programs we would and administrators are yielding of Directors. like to offer on our new campus valuable recommendations and in 2020, and we have been insights that will make programs Registration is required for this working with educators to shape accessible, relevant, and rooted free seminar. Please respond our future offerings to schools. in the curriculum. by Friday, May 4, 2018 to (717) 848-1587 ext. 216 or taltland@ yorkhistorycenter.org. As we brainstorm our programs, It might seem to the audience we have been researching that not much is happening Details are also available at audiences and field trends, and \"behind the curtain.\" But there is www.yorkhistorycenter.org; click having conversations with other a flurry of activity as we set the on the \"Events\" tab. museum professionals. We stage for 2020. envision a slate of programs that welcome all in the community, Director of Education are relevant to our visitors, and Parthena Bowman offer opportunities to interact with our history in fun, exciting [email protected] ways. 8 CENTER PIECE February 2018 Volume 3, Issue 1

LIBRARY & ARCHIVES Collections, continued from p. 4 Relocation By the lections storage areas are already Numbers packed, but not in a way that is safe enough to be moved. We To see a behind-the-scenes video also need to consider the best on the Library & Archives and how way to store the artifacts. The the team is planning for the move majority of our artifacts are to the Steam Plant , sign up for sensitive to environment, such as the digital version of CenterPiece! UV radiation, temperature and To get the flipbook and all of the humidity, and exposure to pests. \"goodies\" that come with it, email collections today. The library David Corman at staff, assisted by volunteers, is As you can imagine this project [email protected]. currently working toward that will be labor intensive for staff, move by checking and improving volunteers, and interns. If you According to data from the U.S. collections data. The location have time to volunteer, are Census Bureau, the average of each artifact in the collection, extremely detail oriented, and person in the United States whether it is a book, a photo- are willing to learn the best moves more than 11 times in his graph or manuscript, is being practices of collections care, or her lifetime. The History properly identified in PastPerfect. please consider becoming a Center has moved four times Collections volunteer. since its beginning, and the PastPerfect is the collections Library & Archives has moved management software used by internally as well, since the move the History Center to provide If you are unavailable to to Market Street in the late 1950s. volunteer, but are willing to accessibility. It can also create support the preservation of room reports to assist in the Moving from \"point a\" to \"point b\" move and in planning the layout artifacts, we are in need of can be a daunting task of the new facility. archival supplies to rehouse whether it is a family household them. Please contact me at or a large manufacturing compa- Consistent labeling of the Read- [email protected] or ny. The History Center Library & ing Room, Closed Stacks 1 and (717) 848-1587 ext. 229 to dis- Archives Collection falls some- the Rare Book Room, as well as cuss opportunities to help where in between; with nearly sections, drawers and box num- with this project and support 150,000 photographs and slides, bers, will insure a smooth relo- artifact preservation. 35,000 books, 27,000 manuscript cation. While tedious, consistent files and over 8,800 family files, data entry is nevertheless To see a behind-the-scenes video special care and planning will be important for many reasons. It featuring a discussion about what it crucial. These numbers do not not only allows researchers to takes to properly care for our arti- include audio recordings, “uncover” history through the business ledgers, maps, micro- History Center’s collections, but facts, sign up for the digital version film or scrapbooks. of CenterPiece! To get the flipbook it accurately defines the size and and all of the \"goodies\" that come scope of this important facet of Organization and planning is the the organization's mission. with it, email David Corman at key to accomplishing this move. [email protected]. The phrase “location, location, Director of Library & Archives location,” made famous by Director of Collections realtors going back to the 1920s, Lila Fourhman-Shaull Meegan Carr is very relevant to a successful move of the History Center [email protected] [email protected] CENTER PIECE February 2018 Volume 3, Issue 1 9

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 34 York, PA 250 East Market St. York, PA 17403 yorkhistorycenter.org 717-848-1587 EVOKE PRIDE February 2018 Volume 3 Issue 1 IN YORK Facebook Live! COUNTY’S Join us on Thursday, March 8, 2018 at HISTORY 4 p.m. for a special Facebook Live with Board Chair Rob Kinsley and President and CEO Joan Mummert, providing an update on progress of the Steam Plant project. Hop on Facebook (www.facebook. FOLLOW US ON com/yorkcountyhistorycenter) and ask us anything you like, or join us in person at the Historical Society Museum.