It was on a hot summer day two and a half years ago that Patagonia Library proposed to the Arizona Humanities Council that the library host the Smithsonian Museum on Main Street exhibit Journey Stories. As I write, the exhibit is packed into 14 well-labeled crates that are neatly lined up in Cady Hall awaiting transport to the next host venue.
When I submitted the proposal, requirements of venue space, a local history companion exhibit, and two related programs appeared easy enough to fulfill. I certainly could not have fathomed how through the process of community input and area-wide support this venture’s success would exceed any pre-conceived notions. The Smithsonian Museum on Main Street exhibit—13 events at seven eastern Santa Cruz County venues and three new permanent local history exhibits—attracted 2,990 people.
Though most of the figurative journey to coordinate the six week event went smoothly, there were a few minor bumps in the road, which took more attention than I thought possible. How much Top Stick, the tape used to hold a toupee in place, was needed for our local history exhibit? How many red and blue tacks were needed to designate on maps birth and favorite vacation places? What if I gave a party and no one came? And then there were the 427 email correspondences to finalize schedules and graphics.
A Woven Journey, our local history exhibit, was an adventure unto itself, as I am certain the Empire Ranch’s Cowboy Life exhibit and Homesteading exhibit in the Bowman History room also were. Defining A Woven Journey content evolved effortlessly, and selecting the images went well, but then there were the text edits—at least 15 of them. Names, locations, dates needed to be verified and spelled correctly. The closest to final edit from Elise Misiorowski’s text was accomplished when Laura Wenzel and I decided to head to the Wagon Wheel for a beer.
The Journey Stories exhibit guest book listed 65 visitors from outside Arizona and 11 people from outside of the United States, including a gentleman and his daughter, who call Patagonia, Argentina their home. There were days when Cady Hall was filled with generations of family members who were thrilled to see images of their relatives riding the Lochiel school bus. There were moments of sharing memories about dances in Cady Hall and the Big Steer bar. Linda Hummel Roslund’s visit was also special. Alvessa Ochoa Hummel, her mother, played the sax at dances in Cady Hall during the 1950s. Alvessa was a plant lover, and the library’s Legacy Garden is now home to the aromatic violets that she nurtured long ago in Patagonia.
This six-week event was brought to life by a multitude of Sonoita, Patagonia and Elgin organizations and too many people to name. A sincere thank you is extended to every one who helped make this a reality.
What’s next for the library is, as always, a work in progress. This summer will highlight a reading program for preschool children; science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) projects for middle school children; and the huge step of adding ebooks and downloadable audio to our circulating collection.