Archival Anecdotes: A cross-section of time

When Eddy County Museum was founded in 1965, there was a great sense of urgency among community organizations, civic clubs and individual supporters. They knew times were changing. A modern era was taking hold, and American life would never be the same.

For those that donated items during those early years, we are grateful. These artifacts create the backbone of our little museums. For the volunteers who didn't record more information from the donors, we completely understand. In the 1970s, artifacts came in en masse, and there were no computers to record them – only notebooks and weekly volunteers.

I've had the privilege to work through those notebooks and even a few early spreadsheets to create an integrated database. Sure, there are still objects that need to be entered. They might be newcomers to the museum, were never recorded in the first place, or have been sitting in the bottom of the cupboard unnoticed for a decade or two.

As I've gotten to know this digital database, I've seen fascinating patterns emerge. It was after sorting through the data that I realized that Mrs. Timon (or Teman) Kolsrud was the same person as Eunice Kolsrud AND Eunice Anderson. It was illuminating. Eunice Anderson Kolsrud donated several artifacts that were recorded under these various names. Once I could see all the artifacts in one place (on my screen), it was like opening a small window into Eunice's life.

I will tell you that Eunice was born in 1903 in Hillsdale Township, Eddy County, but the rest is open to your interpretation. The objects Eunice donated in 1969 include:

• Butter bowl, made of wood.

• Women's wooden shoes, brought from Sweden in 1893. Worn by Eunice's mother, Sophie, until 1920.

• Genuine leather horse collar, donated in memory of her father, Gustef Anderson.

• A turkey bell, that Gustef used to keep track of the flock in 1915.

Another donation came in 1984, when Elvera Johnson recovered and restored a day calendar from the vacant farmstead of Teman and Eunice Kolsrud, north of Bremen. The intricate paper frame shows a forested scene with a girl and a dog.

It's always exciting to find treasure, but that's only one aspect of managing a museum. The other part is displaying these little treasures in a way that tells a story about life in the past.

In order to bring the museum exhibits together for the season ahead, I need to take a pause from writing this column. If you have been reading Archival Anecdotes for very long, you know that I take a break from time to time, but each time I return, I bring fresh perspectives and new content.