Midland County Historical Society Historic Collections Preservation Assessment

FAIN: PG-280745-21

Midland Center for the Arts, Inc. (Midland, MI 48640-2656)
Jacob Huss (Project Director: January 2021 to December 2022)

A preservation assessment of archival and textile materials in the wake of a recent flood that damaged and displaced collections. In addition to the assessment, the conservation consultant would also conduct a half-day training for staff, teaching them to care for the damaged collections. These objects in peril include a variety of materials related to the history of Midland County, including court and board of education records, records from local businesses such as Dow Chemical, and over 9,000 artifacts. The region is now a federally declared disaster area, and the materials are in temporary storage at the Midland Center for the Arts. Prior to the flooding, materials from the collection were used in educational programming in a variety of formats, as well as for research and exhibitions.

The Midland County Historical Society is seeking expert advice and training for the long-term planning, care, maintenance and recovery of the Midland County historic collections. The collections include the Midland Area Research Archives and historic artifact and textile collections. These items sustained significant damage and displacement during the May 19-20, 2020 Edenville Dam failure and flood event and is now in a federally declared disaster area.