Editorial

Local history good investment of time and money

Wednesday, April 30, 2008
"Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

-- George Santayana

(1863-1952)

That sentiment is usually quoted in connection with national or international events, but a McCook visitor Tuesday is in the practical business of seeing local history is not forgotten.

Mike Smith, director of the Nebraska State Historical Society, told members of the High Plains Historical Society he had just come from working with state leaders to ensure that current records, now being generated almost exclusively on computers, are not lost for future generations.

It's an important issue, and one that has the potential to benefit many future generations as well as save them untold grief.

But, during the first of three appearances Tuesday, Smith had practical advice for local historians who want to tell the story of their community.

* Get more young people involved in the historical society, and encourage them to lead their own projects.

* Change exhibits periodically to encourage people to visit the museum more often. Storage of exhibits that are not on display is always a problem for local museums, Smith said, but concentrate on one story of local history at a time.

"Pull out one or two items to spotlight for the summer," he suggested. "Give people something to get engaged with ... somewhere to start," he said.

* Use the local museum as a center for learning about the community, he said, as a type of visitor center.

Surveys indicate most people only visit museums when they're on vacation, or entertaining out-of-town guests, Smith said.

When visitors leave, he said, "you want them to have one good image in their mind," and "feel they spent their time well."

Videos are easier to produce than ever, Smith said, can offer a museum visitor a chance to "sit down for 12 minutes and get focused.

"The more you can tell your story in an accessible way, the better." He cited the success of the Ken Burns documentaries on the Civil War, World War II and others as examples.

McCook has great historical resources that should be tied together, Smith said, such as the Fox Theater, Keystone Hotel and Heritage Square as well as the State Historical Society's Norris House.

History brings $170 million into the Nebraska economy, he said, and McCook has the potential for exploiting that market.

"History is a good investment," Smith concluded.

We agree, both as way to spend time and money.

When was the last time you visited your local museum?

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