|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…
|
By Erica Wolfsen –
The Smithsonian Institute has arrived in Mariposa County to collaborate on creating world class programming in this historic part of California. As part of their new rural initiative, the museum experts are partnering with and supporting small communities throughout the United States to help tell their stories.
Earlier this year, director Andy Mink toured the county and its museums to better understand what makes this place unique and to offer access to the Smithsonian’s many programs, grants, scholarships and experts.
Lynn Breshears, President of the Northern Mariposa County History Center, and I gave Mr. Mink and Mariposa County Arts Council representatives a tour of Coulterville. We enjoyed lunch at the Coulter Cafe, then walked downtown for a tour of the museum. It was a great opportunity to see our space with fresh eyes. I pressed our guests to provide their impressions and feedback on ways we might improve.
They said our museum was surprisingly large. Andy’s first impression was that it must be an outdoor museum because of our large front yard with gold panning troughs, farming and mining equipment, and a vehicle barn. The interior of the museum is hidden behind the ruins of the Coulterville Hotel and has a very unassuming front door.
Upon entering, they were surprised to see such a large interior space. They noted that the museum felt welcoming, clean and well-organized.
Once again I pressed for criticism.
Andy finally noted that the guns and drugs are flashy (referring to our weapons collection and Gold Rush pharmacy), but the Parlor Room might be underutilized.
His comments led me to realize that our reproduction home space lacked voices to bring it to life. We are now seeking audio interviews to play in that space, oral history interviews.
On May 18, 19, and 20, Andy returned with four specialists to give presentations on the work they do and to offer assistance to any county group that seeks help.
As a representative of the Northern Mariposa County History Center, I attended several days of programming organized by Cara Goger of the Mariposa Arts Council. This included tours of the region, presentations by Smithsonian staff, and discussions with a wide range of organizations, charities and civic leaders.
What a gift it was to meet with all these individuals and get a broader understanding of all the great work being done, and hoping to be done, throughout our county. I was continually surprised by the number of charities working with similar goals without knowledge of each other. These meetings brought us all into dialogue, and we will be forever grateful.
The Smithsonian team will return to facilitate a county-wide collaboration centered on stories of Mariposa County. The Northern Mariposa County History Center is thrilled to participate, and we intend to collect and contribute some unforgettable content. If you have an important story to nominate, please contact us at nmchc1@gmail.com with the subject line: North Side Stories.
As an art teacher, I attended a teacher conference several years ago where the keynote speaker was a brain scientist. She spent years scanning thousands of human brains to figure out what makes us remember.
“Sorry math teachers,” her speech began. “The only content that we remember consistently over time are stories with emotional content.”
With that in mind, I urge you to contribute stories that make us feel, for those are the stories that we will never forget.
__
If you like this story and independent radio service you can help Fund Yosemite Radio, KNHA 100.9 FM with GoFundMe.
Leave a Reply