Library and Museum

In 2018 I was asked to join the Grand Lodge of Oregon's Library and Museum Committee. Boy was that fun to be asked. 

To break it down in a way that can explain the collection as it was back in 2018 I must give a before and after. 

Before I was involved there were many great and honorable men who worked very hard at making the Library and Museum in a way that could be easily used and accessable.  There was a big problem. There were wonderful pieces of history donated to the museum that was just sitting in boxes and corners. There was just no place to put anything. 

It was very overwhelming to see waist high piles of antiques and books in no order what so ever. 

In 2019 I was asked to take over as Chairman of the Library and Museum Committee.  It was an honor. I immediately began with creating Standard of Operating Procedures (SOP) with forms for donations, inprocessing and archiving. I implemented an archival numbering system and began the boxing of over 25 boxes packed full of antiques. Coins, jewelry, pictures, textiles, documents, manuscripts, papers and papers...  this took months to accomplish. 

These items were boxed up all in boxes labeled from Temporary Box #1 - ect..

Then the real fun began. Taking each box one by one and inventorying the contents.  I've barely made a dent in the year or so since these temporary storage boxes were created. 

Then everything got really exciting. 

The Trustees of the Grand Lodge of Oregon announced that a new building was to be built which was to be called, MWB Robert M. Richmond Memorial Library and Museum. 

https://www.henneberyeddy.com/project/robert-m-richmond-memorial-library-museum/

I was so excited to know that there was going to be a new home, a building dedicated to the archiving and preservation of Oregon Freemasonry and it's origins. 

The collection isn't just items of Freemasonry. Early Oregon Territory documents and pictures. State Capital Corner Stone pictures are also included with other non Masonic related items in the collection. 

On and on...

Every time I work at the Library and Museum the items within the archives get more organized. 

My journey is just beginning.

I will share the good stuff here.