Winter is a quiet but busy time at the Curatorial center. Throughout the winter, we continue with cataloging, conservation and other related work. The most important of this work is updating and proofreading our collections catalog. This is the database (actually, there are two!) that contains all of the information about each of our thousands of objects. It is what we use to track these objects as they move between buildings or the Curatorial Center, and is our most important research tool. Maintaining this incredible amount of information is more than a full time job, but Marge, Janna, and Pat work on this in between other duties.

Our article about the Bozeman Cab Landau coach brought responses from several readers, and we have gathered quite a bit of information. Volunteer Gary Forney of Ennis continues to research the history of this important and intriguing object.

This month's Most Interesting Object is the Wells Fargo Coffee House sign. Familiar to anyone who has walked Virginia City's boardwalk, the sign was commissioned by Charlie Bovey sometime in the 1950s. Artist Art Brown, who worked with Bovey on numerous projects, painted over an old Coca-cola sign to create this one-of-a-kind piece. The sign has been temporarily removed because the paint was beginning to peal off. We hope to complete conservation on this sign, and re-hang it by the summer season.

Finally, with this report, Pat will say farewell to the Commission and to all of you whom have supported and worked with the curatorial team over the last five years. Pat has accepted a position at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, and will be leaving January 14, 2005. She sends her most sincere wishes for the continued success of the Virginia City project.