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Editorial: Small price to pay for preserving history
Thursday, September 8, 2011


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In hindsight, it’s easy to say that municipalities like the town of Rotterdam and Schoharie County could have done a better job protecting their historic artifacts and court records from the ravages of Hurricane Irene. Still, it needs to be said, because even though serious floods are relatively rare in these parts, they and other natural disasters, as well as calamities like fires do occur from time to time. If these important objects  —   some of which are hundreds of years old —  are to survive for the benefit of future generations, proper precautions must be taken.
It’s always possible to rebuild a house or an office lost to a flood or fire, but as the Rotterdam Junction woman lamented in Wednesday’s front-page story, “the hardest thing is ... the stuff I can’t ever replace.” For her, it was baby pictures. For the town of Rotterdam, it is the photographs and historic papers about Rotterdam Junction collected over the last 70 years by town historian Dick Whalen. For Schoharie County, it was a basement full of books and court papers. The pictures and papers told stories and provided documentation —  of a family’s history, a town’s events, a judicial system’s casework.
All were destroyed, or so heavily damaged by the flood, that it will require a Herculean effort —  and a bundle of money —  to restore them. Certainly a lot more effort and money than it would have taken to store them safely to begin with.
Admittedly, people who aren’t ardent history buffs have a tendency to take things like old books, papers and photos for granted. They may not use them or look at them regularly, and so may forget they exist. Or they may appreciate them but simply run out of room to store them where they’re out of harm’s way. Or they may not realize, given the infrequency of storms like Irene, just how devastating one can be.
And so these irreplaceable photos, papers and records get put in some out-of-the-way place —  more often than not a basement or an attic — that may be convenient at the time  but just so happens to be the first place affected in a serious flood or fire.
Undoubtedly, more horror stories will be coming to light in the weeks ahead. They should serve as reminders to the municipalities, organizations and, yes, individuals who save things with historic value but drop the ball when it comes to protecting them. Calamities like the one provided by Irene don’t occur very often —  thank God —  but no one can predict when they will or how severe they’ll be. And since it costs relatively little to guard against damage, doesn’t it make sense to do so?

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

For the record, I do not subscribe to the belief that the Town Historian should keep the town's historical records and artifacts at a personal residence -- that is why I do not keep any of those items in my home.   The best place to keep the town's collection  (I am not speaking of personal collections) is on town property --- and the town does need look into setting aside an appropriate space to store and allow public exhibits of its historical papers and artifacts.  

Quoted from 147

But it IS ok to keep official Town Parks Commission paperwork at your own private residence - as you've indicated that you've done in the past?

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

Obviously, you are fishing again --- trying to make an issue where none exists --- if you want an answer to your question ... speak to my attorney.

Quoted from 147

Please provide his name and phone number

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

I am under no obligation to answer any questions that you post here or ask anywhere else for that matter.

Quoted from 147

You said "speak to my attorney" - how can I do that if you refuse to provide their name?

My attorney is Rita Topetta ... please have yours contact mine.

Quoted from A Better Rotterdam

Thanks for aswering my questions DVOR.

Quoted from DemocraticVoiceOfReason

The Town Historian has no budget to do that kind of work (cleaning and restoring water and mud damaged papers and artifacts).