Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883

Archival Anecdotes: Making History, One Event at a Time

In recent weeks, I've been writing about the origins of the Eddy County Museum, and by extension the Pioneer Daughters Club. I am aware however, that there is another event that I have failed to include- the county's Diamond Jubilee in 1958.

I learned about this event a couple years ago while I was digitizing photos. If there ever was a photographically documented event in Eddy County's history, the Diamond Jubilee is it. Through these photos we can clearly see the celebration of history through costumes, parades and hats – lots of hats.

A favorite artifact among museum-goers is a photo album containing portraits of Eddy County men, most wearing hats, enjoying the Diamond Jubilee. Some of them went on to help preserve history in 1965 with the opening of the museum.

What I find most interesting about many of the men and women who were involved with celebrating and preserving history is that many were born at the beginning of the 20th century. They witnessed many rapid cultural changes: new technologies in warfare and medicine, innovations in transportation and home appliances, and vast cultural shifts within communications and entertainment. Perhaps one of the greatest changes came in how women applied their skills outside the home.

There was no way to go back to the time of their parents. (Nor would have their parents ever wanted them to!) The only way to go was forward, and they did so by embracing the future and honoring the past.