Curatorial team monthly report for May 2004

Marge continues, as she will into October, cleaning the exhibit areas in our historic buildings. She was grateful to have the terrific help of two Americorps students for most of May. Janna also worked with several Americorps students, and they spent the month of May cataloging collections in the Village Pump.

Pat is continuing work on the Long-term Preservation Plan, the final phase of the IMLS grant project. She installed a small case exhibit of archaeological material in the Visitor Center (Virginia City Depot)—stop by and have a look. Pat has also been working on loan and conservation proposals, new acquisitions, ordering supplies for the summer, preparing for the June 1 Preservation and Interpretation Committee meeting, and other regular record-keeping duties.

The "Most Interesting Object" of the month came from the Village Pump, and was voted MIO by Janna and the Americorps students working there. It is a hand operated oil pump from the early twentieth century, called the "Bowser Long Distance Solene Storage Outfit, Pump 159". This may or may not be the most interesting object in the collection, but it certainly has one of the most interesting names.