Curatorial team monthly report for August 2004

In August we lost our Americorps workers to hurricane relief in Florida. Marge and Bob continued cleaning our exhibit areas. Janna has listed 1,025 music rolls that were in the Methodist Church, and continues with researching, cataloging, and preparing the rolls for storage. Pat continues proofreading and updating our catalog records, as well as working with conservators, cataloging materials from the Boots & Shoes display in Nevada City, working on the 2005 curatorial budget, and other duties. Pat is a board member of the Museums Association of Montana, and attended a board meeting in Fort Benton. Our volunteers have also continued with cleaning, as well as completing data entry and conducting historic research for the Fairweather Parlor exhibit. Other tasks accomplished this month include:

• Downloading temperature and humidity information from the "Dataloggers" and re-launching them, as we do every couple of months. This information helps us understand the conditions in our historic buildings and will help us plan future exhibits and care of the objects in those buildings.

• Working with preservation staff in the preliminary stages of developing an Integrated Pest Management plan.

• Preparing a report on the conservation of a barrel from the Gilbert Brewery.

• Working with maintenance and preservation staff to move arrastra stones (see "MIO" below).

• Preparing reports for Americorps, the NPS II grant, and volunteer activities.

• Selecting lamps for the meeting room in Content's Corner.

• Working with preservation staff to identify buildings for use by the History Channel.

• Providing information to Ellen Sievert about the Gilbert Brewery and the objects found there.

• Working with our staff archaeologist Cecile in object identification and dating.

• Researching music machines and rolls.

Several visitors stopped by, curious about the Curatorial Center. Most declined a tour, but were happy to have the chance to chat and learn more about our work. We also enjoyed a weekend of very special visitors—our Donor Tribute weekend.

The MIOs (Most Interesting Objects) for August are the arrastra stones. These are on loan to us from the U.S. Forest Service office in Sheridan, and are originally from an early mine operation east of Twin Bridges. There are six natural stones, each fitted with one or two forged iron hooks. Arrastra stones were used to crush ore: the stones were laid in a circular bed in which the ore had been placed, and the hooks attached to an animal's harness. The animal, usually a mule or ox, was yoked to a turnstile and would pull the stone over the ore. These stones add visual and historic interest to the Curatorial Center's newly landscaped yard.