FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 10, 2009
CONTACT: Molly Dannenmaier
Director of Marketing and Public Relations,
409-765-7834

Public Invited to Bring Historic Documents, Photos, to Galveston Historical Foundation for Archival Scanning

Galveston residents are invited to come to Galveston Historical Foundation’s (GHF’s) Preservation Resource Center (PRC) with their historic photos or documents that can be used to document the history of residential and commercial properties on the island. The documents will be scanned and added to the PRC’s archives, safe from loss, and available to researchers and homeowners. Originals will be returned.

The PRC, Galveston’s research and information center on local history and historic preservation, was formerly on the first floor of the 1861 Custom House at 502 20th Street, GHF headquarters. It housed an archive of building files and local preservation resources along with a library. The facility took more than five feet of storm surge from Hurricane Ike, and lost many of its books and documents. It is now located at GHF’s Architectural Salvage Warehouse, the 1910 Sealy Garage at 903 23rd Street--on the second floor.

The Preservation Resource Center Committee is sponsoring this historic document scanning program to help rebuild its files. Individuals are asked to share their family photographs that may include historic residential and commercial buildings, individual property histories, non-copyrighted historic photographs, post cards, maps, and other historic resources so they can be added to the collection. Staff will be available by appointment to scan and copy the items on site. This will create a backup electronic copy that can be available if the original is lost. These files also will be available to future property owners as they learn about alterations to their properties and conduct their own research.

The PRC assists hundreds of visitors researching their properties and learning more about Galveston every year. Hurricane Ike has limited its ability to do this work.

To make an appointment to have your historic documents scanned for the Preservation Resource Center, call Matt Farragher, PRC Project Coordinator, at 409-750-9108.