The Monrovia Legacy Project will preserve and share materials on Monrovia history never before available to the public.
For fifty years, Monrovia’s City Historians Steve Baker and his predecessor Myron Hotchkiss gathered photographs and historical documents that reveal Monrovia’s unique history. Other Monrovians have collections and recollections that help bring its story up-to-date. These private collections and the knowledge that resides in Monrovia’s City Historian have not been cataloged or preserved. The Monrovia Legacy Project has been created to prevent the loss of this rich treasure trove and share it with the public through the Monrovia Public Library.
The Project’s mission is to preserve and share the historic information. Its goals are:
- To document and preserve City Historian Steve Baker’s knowledge and collections, and generate end products to share them.
- To compile other Monrovians’ historical memories and records – people of all backgrounds -- and create a collection that can be built upon.
- To create places and methods for storing and sharing this history at the Library.
The City of Monrovia is providing partial financial support to the Project through a fund given to the City for enhancing the Library’s collections. The Project is seeking other donations to complete the budget. The Monrovia Historical Society (revitalized in 2015) is the non-profit home for the Project.
“This is such a great project! The City of Monrovia is proud to be part of it. Monrovia’s history has made us what we are and sets the stage for what we can become. It’s so important that we record it.” Tom Adams, Mayor of Monrovia.
The Legacy Project is a three-year undertaking, in three stages:
PRESERVE: Scan, digitize, inventory and catalog the photos and papers, transfer to archival storage materials, and create a comprehensive online repository.
SHARE: Create physical products -- photo and/narrative books, video series/documentary, written and oral histories, and content for teaching curriculum.
EDUCATE: Create website for distributing products and plan to engage the public.
The public is invited to share photos, documents, recollections and ideas. The intent is to tell the stories of citizens and organizations of all types that shaped this diverse city.
Project Staff include Project Co-Managers Sandy Burud, Ph.D. & Louise Robertson, Ed.D., City Historian Steve Baker. Tina Cherry, Director, Department of Public Services, is the City Liaison to the Project.
Source: City of Monrovia press release
- Brad Haugaard
