How Our Winter Program is Preserving and Sharing Local History
This winter, our arts and capacity building programs are moving indoors, but the work is as active as ever. We are currently building on the momentum from our summer sessions by diving into a deep preservation project: digitizing the records and family histories of the old Dyment Mountain View Cemetery. This isn’t just about administrative upkeep; it’s about ensuring that the stories of this beautiful space aren’t lost to time or decay.
We are incredibly grateful to Jack Robinson, who has been an essential partner in this process. Jack has shared not only physical records but also the oral histories and personal anecdotes that breathe life into the names on the headstones. Through his help, we’re learning about the families who lived here and the people who dedicated their lives to stewardship of the land. It’s one thing to see a name in a ledger, but it’s another to understand the legacy of care they left behind.
The skills involved in this work are both technical and deeply human. Our participants are learning the “how-to” of digital archiving—handling delicate documents, using scanning technology, and organizing data, but they are also honing their skills in storytelling and curation. They are learning how to take a raw piece of information and turn it into something that resonates with an audience. This requires a sharp eye for detail and a great deal of empathy for the subjects they are researching.
Ultimately, this work matters because history is the foundation of community identity. In digitizing these records, we are making history accessible to everyone, ensuring that these stories are no longer tucked away in private boxes but are available for the whole community to claim. All of this effort is leading toward a special exhibition this spring, where we’ll be able to share these rediscovered histories with you in person.
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