As the Hollywood Historical Society approaches its 50-year anniversary, we want to honor the real heroes of the organization, the tireless volunteers at the heart of the HSS, the Research Center. Lesley Lee Yuen and Mary Beth Busutil, board members Marion Fording and Jean Morford, former president Karen Albertson and Archivist Emeritus Dr. Joan Mickelson PhD (now retired) are the ones to go to if you want to know anything about Hollywood’s past.
WHEN YOU NEED TO KNOW
“Let me take you through it,” said Dr. Mickelson, author, historian, archivist and frequent lecturer for the Hollywood Historical Society. She indicates a wall of file cabinets in the Research Center.
“The first one is sorted by category, the next, by people, and the next, by buildings. Over there, we have oral histories from 1976.
“That cabinet,” she continued, “has every article from the Hollywood Sun-Tattler newspaper, all cut and filed alphabetically.”
The files contain photos, documents, floorplans, copies of permits, and more, to help the researchers get the facts.
THE LIFE OF A DONATION
When a new item comes into the Hollywood Historical Society, the donor conveys all the info they know about it and confirms their right to donate it.
Then, the archivists enter everything into the database, scan in the photos, and cross-reference all the data by name, location, description and keywords. It’s painstaking, detailed work. In between new items, they work on things already in-house and help with new requests.
SO WHAT’S NEW AT THE Hollywood Historical Society?
We’re turning 50! And plans are now being made for the celebration of the big anniversary. Visit our website, hollywoodhistoricalsociety.org/ for details, or catch up with us on Facebook or Instagram.
The Hollywood Historical Society holds over 25,000 items in its collection and also has books, photos and more for sale at the Research Center. Please call 954-923-5590 for hours.
To learn more about the Hollywood Historical Society, a nonprofit 501(c)(3)* cultural organization founded and operated by volunteers, or to be a part of it, email [email protected], or contact us through hollywoodhistoricalsociety.org Facebook or Instagram.
