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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11.13attachment2 1331 Algoma Boulevard, Oshkosh WI 54901 • 920.236.5799 • oshkoshmuseum.org MEMO TO THE MUSEUM BOARD November 13, 2020 To the Board, There are only a few items for this week. We are now moving forward with 2021 projects and some of the week was spent working on those projects. Under the leadership of Assistant Curator Katrina Achilli, the Museum is being decorated for the Holidays. This year the decorations are scaled down, but the Museum will look splendid nonetheless. I’ll start with some excellent news. The Oshkosh Public Museum’s World War II oral histories are now available online through the Listening to War: Wisconsin’s Wartime Oral Histories project from Recollection Wisconsin! You can find all of our recordings here: https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/wioralhistory/search/searchterm/oshkosh% 20public%20museum/field/publis/mode/exact/conn/and/order/title/ad/asc Our materials are an important contribution to this statewide collection of almost 500 interviews from more than 20 libraries, archives, museums, and historical societies around the state. Tammy shared this project on Veterans Day using the primary link, https://recollectionwisconsin.org/listeningtowar. Recollection Wisconsin is planning a broader promotional push for this project in spring 2021, including some virtual events and a press release. By spring, the Museum’s content will also be discoverable in the recollectionwisconsin.org portal and the Digital Public Library of America. I am very proud of the work we did collecting and preserving the Second World War stories and experiences of men and women from Oshkosh. It is satisfying to know that countless people can benefit from that work. Unfortunately, the next item is not such good news. As you might recall, the Museum’s collection includes several 19th century wheeled firefighting vehicles. These had been stored at various locations, most recently a fire station. Last month they had to be transferred to a private warehouse because the fire department no longer has room for any vehicle except the 1890s steam pumper. The vehicles are protected, but it is an active warehouse. We have no idea of how long the Museum’s vehicles will be allowed to remain in the warehouse. The firefighting vehicles are an ongoing problem for the Museum, as we cannot properly store or care for them, and have no space to exhibit them. With each move they are subjected to damage and we are concerned the wooden wheels might collapse. For that reason, the Collections Review Committee voted to deaccession them so they are not under the requirements of the Collections Management Policy. Due to their value, this will come before the Board when we are able to meet. 1331 Algoma Boulevard, Oshkosh WI 54901 • 920.236.5799 • oshkoshmuseum.org Page Two One solution would be to transfer ownership to the Oshkosh Fire Department (OFD). They would thereby stay in the community rather than be given to another museum. Because they would not be subject to Museum policies, the OFD would be free to store and move them as required. I briefly talked with Chief Stanley about that idea and we plan to follow-up in the coming weeks. The steam pumper will be exhibited at the Ceape Street station, but there is no plan for the remaining vehicles: the 1850s hand pumper, two c. 1870 hose carts, and two specialized carts for foam extinguishers. If the transfer would not be possible and pending Board approval, staff would seek a new home at a firefighting museum. In other news, there are a couple building maintenance repairs that merit inclusion in the memo. But before I get to those, it is with relief to say that with all the rain last week, our lower level was dry as an old bone. The Museum has experienced a number of critical repairs this year and last, over which we have had no control. Now, our main shut-off valve for the fire suppression system is defective and must be replaced. This is an expensive repair (about $2,500) taking many hours and so must done in the small hours of the morning, which Matt Reinke will coordinate with the sprinkler company. The pandemic had put a key replacement water pump for the archives on backorder. The pump was finally available and was installed this week. The cost was minimal because City staff were able to install it. That ends the week. It seems unlikely I’ll send a memo next week, and I will be gone the following week, so I’ll take this time to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. I sure hope we can resume a normal meeting routine this winter, but time will tell. I hope you have an enjoyable weekend, Brad Larson