The value of preserving history seems immeasurable, but often comes with a hefty price tag.
The Clarkston Community Historical Society’s (CCHS) job of protecting and sharing Clarkston’s history became a little easier after receiving a $4,000 grant from DaimlerChrysler’s Corporation Fund.
The support grant, written by Laura Covintree, will pay for materials and equipment needed by CCHS at the Clarkston Heritage Museum, which has a growing need for resources to provide museum quality storage for artifacts and exhibits, said president Jennifer Arkwright. The grant provides a boost to the museum, which director Toni Smith estimates has a yearly operating budget of around $25,000.
‘We are at such a point of our existence that we need storage and cataloguing. We need to offset those costs. If we can get help like this, we can use some of our money for construction projects,? said Arkwright.
Smith said people do not realize the cost of storing collections of artifacts properly, which requires pricey items like acid-free storage boxes.
Smith estimated that each exhibit set up in the museum costs from $5,000 to $7,500 and needs to be taken down after six months due to exposure to the elements like humidity and ultraviolet lights.
Currently, the museum features the exhibit ‘Death on the Millpond? which explores historic Clarkston events such as fires, floods and tragic death or other misfortune. Included is a display of Victorian mourning customs of the 19th century, a large photo display of local tombstones and an explanation of symbols found in local cemeteries.
Smith said the next exhibit is scheduled for some time in November and deals with women’s fashions from the early 1900s through the 1960s.
Even though the CCHS has hosted 10 exhibits so far, Arkwright said some people still do not realize the museum resides in the same building as the Independence Township library.
‘We are continually growing. People give us artifacts and our exhibits are becoming filled with actual Clarkston historical items,? said Arkwright.
The Clarkston Heritage Museum is located in the Independence Twp. Library on Clarkston Rd. For more information, or to donate a Clarkston artifact, please call 248-922-0270.