Archives and Special Collections

News

February 2011

Since the move of the collection into the new storage space, the archives committee volunteers have been busy with various projects. One project has been to re-house the back issues of the Quarterly into ten acid-free storage cartons. Another initiative has been the re-housing of materials in the first shipment of Devon Horse Show materials, and to begin a preliminary inventory of this collection.

One of the collection’s oldest treasures, the 1863 Civil War letter written by William D. Christman, has been re-housed and transcribed into the computer. Bill Spofford has done some preliminary research on the sender of the letter, but we know nothing of the recipient, addressed only as “Dear Sister.” Does anyone in the Society have information on how and when this item came into the collection?

The lack of provenance information highlights the importance of recording each new addition, and to this end an Accession Log has been started to number each new gift, and record donor information. Other forms and policies have been written, including a photographic permission form, and a Collecting Policy which specifies what we collect and what we do not.

Members will begin to see the archives referred to as the “Archives and Special Collections,” an expanded name which expresses the dual purpose of the repository: to house the records created by the Society itself, as well as all accumulated materials created by non-Society parties.

The Public Storage locker is working fairly well as a work area, but there a few items the archives volunteers could use. Does anyone have any of the following to donate:

• Four-drawer file cabinet in operating condition
• Sturdy stepladder of at least two steps
• Slotted and/or Phillips screwdriver
• Regular and/or needle nose pliers
• Small toolbox
• Heavy duty Scotch-tape dispenser
• Staple remover
• Rolls of blue painter’s tape
• Post-it notes
• Sturdy card table.

Send us an email to arrange pick up, or bring items to the next meeting.

– Michael Morrison

Documents

Collecting Policy

The Tredyffrin-Easttown Historical Society (TEHS) is the oldest community organization in the Upper Main Line area of the Philadelphia suburbs. The Society was established in 1936 as the Tredyffrin-Easttown History Club. The current name of the organization was adopted in 2005.

The primary mission of the society’s Archives and Special Collections division is to collect and preserve historical resources pertaining, but not limited to, the Upper Main Line townships of Tredyffrin and Easttown within eastern Chester County in Pennsylvania.

The Society collects within these guidelines:

1. Records in all formats generated by the Society itself in the course of its business and activities. These are housed in the Archives.

2. Non-Society generated records relating to the history of the townships of Tredyffrin and Easttown in eastern Chester County, Pennsylvania. This material is the primary focus of the Special Collections division.

3. Selected non-Society generated records which document the history of adjacent regions, such as western Chester County, or parts of Montgomery County, when such items are deemed relevant to the society’s mission.

4. Donated items must be clearly designated as either a permanent non-revocable gift, or a long-term loan, with appropriate written agreements signed by both parties. In the case of a valuable gift, donors may be asked to show clear title to that gift.

5. If a donor wishes a monetary evaluation of a gift, such an appraisal will be at the expense of the donor. T he TEHS cannot perform appraisals.

The Society does NOT collect:

1. Materials relating to areas outside of southeastern Pennsylvania.

2. Fine or decorative art, unless relevant to the history of Tredyffrin and Easttown townships. Works of art may be accepted with the stipulation that said works may be sold to provide funds for the Archives and Special Collections. Such a sale must be agreed to in writing by the donor.

3. Materials that are duplicates of objects already in the collection, unless intended for sale. Society staff can advise prospective donors with regard to locating an appropriate repository for redundant items.

4. Items that fall into the following categories: published materials that are easily available in local libraries; facsimiles of historical documents; original documents created by a governmental body; taxidermy; human remains; or materials that fall outside the parameters described above.

5. Three-dimensional artifacts that are deemed too large for the TEHS storage capabilities. In this case a more appropriate repository may be suggested.

6. Items that are in extremely fragile, soiled or deteriorated condition, unless the donor agrees to assist with conservation costs.

Deaccesssions:

Items are removed from the collection by means of sale, exchange, donation, or witnessed destruction. Preference is given to a removal method that benefits another collecting institution, represents the intent of the acquisition, and provides that a removed item remains accessible to the public.