Reopening the research center, preserving local community club archives, improving collection preservation and processing new collection acquisitions were all on the wish list for the Coronado Historical Association (CHA). “Fall in Love with the Collection” benefit luncheon hosted at Feast and Fareway at the Coronado Golf Course this week was held to fund this wish list. The luncheon raised over $10,000 to support these critical projects and raise awareness of what is involved in stewarding a world-class collection and preserving Coronado’s history for generations to come.
As a result of the generous support received, including the lead gift from Art and Dana Wilcox, CHA’s project goals were met. One of the projects will be to continue to re-open their Research Center, after a year and a half of closure due to the pandemic. The Research Center is available to the local community, as well as historians. Despite the closure, CHA helped over 100 researchers this past year through remote research services. According to Executive Director Christine Stokes, “Reopening the research center is a priority service that CHA provides to the Coronado community. It is part of our goal to be an accessible community resource.”
In addition to being a resource for community researchers, CHA will be using funds to provide critical preservation services for the collection, as well as process new items which document the history of the community. Last year, CHA’s acquisitions committee reviewed over 173 items and accepted 117 photographs, archival collections, and individual items into the collection. As Vickie Stone, Curator of Collections shared, “Over the years, the ideal ways to preserve collection items have evolved. It is our goal to rehouse older items in our collection and invest in modern preventative care for our delicate items moving forward while acquiring new items to tell the story of our community.”
Developing a system for local club archives is another key project for 2021. According to Dave Landon, CHA’s President, “As a socially active community, CHA holds the responsibility to maintain and preserve the history of social, philanthropic and community groups built over the past 50 years, and now is the time to make that project a priority.”
Many times when residents think of Coronado, they think about and treasure our small community and historical association. CHA, in terms of size, ranks in the top 20% of heritage organizations in the country, thanks to our world-class collections. The success of fundraisers like this helps CHA fulfill its mission and continue to ensure the implementation of national heritage preservation standards. To learn more about CHA or how you can become a member or volunteer, visit www.coronadohistory.org. Thank you for your continued partnership and loyal support of the Coronado Historical Association.
Thanks to Emily Talbert, Caroline Murray, and Meredith Heinecke for their support in preparing for the luncheon.
