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Deadwood receives national award for historic preservation project

 

The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) has selected the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission as a 2008 Award of Merit winner by the Leadership in History awards committee.

According to a news release, this award recognizes the work for the Scenes in the Black Hills: Glass Transparencies Project, a two-and-half-year conservation project focusing on 13 hand-tinted glass transparencies of Deadwood. The AASLH Leadership in History Awards is the nation’s most prestigious competition for recognition of achievement in state and local history. The 2008 Award of Merit will be presented to the City during a special banquet on Friday, Sept. 12, as part of the AASLH annual meeting in Rochester, N.Y.

In the summer of 2005, Deadwood Dicks of Deadwood, donated the glass plates, copyrighted by the Detroit Photographic Company in 1900, to the city of Deadwood.

As a result of their unique size, color, and rarity, it was discovered that the plates constitute one of the largest and most intact mammoth transparency exhibits in the United States. It was also discovered that the plates were on display in the South Dakota exhibit at the Palace of Mining and Metallurgy during the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. In addition to being dirty at the time of the donation, several of the plates were severely broken and held together with a clear packing tape. Upon receiving custody of the plates, the City archival staff began searching for a conservation firm that could stabilize the original plates and create two surrogate sets. After many phone calls and follow up recommendations, the Chicago Albumen Works of Housatonic, Mass., was chosen for this project. The goals of this project were laid out in the report titled “Survey and Report on Thirteen Positive Photographic Plates at the City of Deadwood, SD, Archives” compiled by Doug Munson of the Chicago Albumen Works. This included a condition report and damage assessment of each plate, recommendations on stabilization and/or repair for the original plates, a proposed digitization program, and creation of two full-sized surrogate sets of plates.

While the plates were in Housatonic, Mass., archival staff began researching the origins and dates of the plates. Research encompassed local, regional, and national collecting institutions in South Dakota, Missouri, Michigan, Colorado, and Washington D.C. In addition to learning the history of the Detroit Photographic Company and its influences on the development of early 20th Century publishing, it was determined that eight of the 13 plates were taken in July of 1899 by Clarence S. Jackson, son of famous western photographer William Henry Jackson. It was also learned that the Deadwood plates were actuality part of a larger display commissioned by the cities of Lead and Deadwood, Lawrence County, and J.C. Spencer of Sylvan Lake Resort.

“We also found out that after their use in the Worlds Fair, the Deadwood Plates returned to Deadwood and were used by the Deadwood Business Club and later Chamber of Commerce before being placed on permanent display at the Franklin Hotel,” said Deadwood cityu archivist Mike Runge, in the release.

The two surrogate sets created by the Chicago Albumen Works are on permanent display at the Deadwood City Hall (102-108 Sherman Street) and Deadwood Dick’s Antiques Shop (57 Sherman Street).

The mission of the City of Deadwood Archives is to preserve the historical records of Deadwood for present and future generations. In addition to this task, the archives will promote and provide information in regards to the history, knowledge, and understanding of Deadwood.