Coasters, Culture, and Change: Processing and Digitizing the Kennywood Park Records

FAIN: PW-264083-19

Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4208)
Matthew Strauss (Project Director: July 2018 to May 2022)

The arrangement and description of 175 linear feet of correspondence, photographs, moving images, records, drawings, and promotional materials related to Kennywood Park, one of the nation’s longest-running amusement parks, along with the digitization of 2,000 images, 12 videos, and 750 pages.

The Heinz History Center is seeking funding for an implementation grant that will support processing and digitization of the Kennywood Park Records. The records offer researchers opportunities to explore an array of humanities topics, including cultural assimilation, popular culture, and leisure. The records amount to 175 linear feet and includes managerial correspondence, photographs, moving images, and promotional material.  The first year of the 18-month project will entail processing the collection, which will result in the records being rehoused, cataloged, and described in a detailed finding aid. The final six months will encompass the digitization of 750 manuscript pages, 2000 images, and 12 videos.  This content will be posted to Historic Pittsburgh, a regional digital library website. Dissemination efforts will include sharing bibliographic information in local and national resources, the creation of K-12 resources, blog posts, and conference presentations.

Associated Products

Exploring the Kennywood Park Collection (Blog Post)
Title: Exploring the Kennywood Park Collection
Author: Claire Moclock and Matt Strauss
Abstract: Blog post highlighting the grant and early work done on the project.
Date: 01/22/2020
Blog Title: Exploring the Kennywood Park Collection
Website: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/blog/detre-library-archives/exploring-kennywood-park-collection

Kennywood Park Records (Public Lecture or Presentation)
Title: Kennywood Park Records
Abstract: This presentation provided an overview of the early work of the NEH grant along with a summary of the material in the collection.
Author: Claire Moclock
Date: 11/17/2019
Location: Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh, PA

Senator John Heinz History Center Launches NEH-Funded Kennywood Grant (Article)
Title: Senator John Heinz History Center Launches NEH-Funded Kennywood Grant
Author: Matt Strauss
Author: Claire Moclock
Abstract: This article provides an overview of the grant and the Kennywood collection.
Year: 2020
Primary URL: http://files.archivists.org/groups/museum/newsletter/current/pdfs/MASNewsletter_Winter2020.pdf
Access Model: open access
Format: Other
Periodical Title: Museum Archivist
Publisher: Society of American Archivists

The Kennywood Pool (Public Lecture or Presentation)
Title: The Kennywood Pool
Abstract: This recording was a virtual program that provided an overview of resources in the Kennywood collection related to the swimming pool attraction.
Author: Claire Moclock
Date: 07/17/2020
Location: Heinz History Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Primary URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv7-QbfpKwQ

Kennywood Park Archives (Public Lecture or Presentation)
Title: Kennywood Park Archives
Abstract: Claire Moclock described her experience processing the Kennywood Park Records.
Author: Claire Moclock
Date: 11/11/2020
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Primary URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFQM_MA0dNA
Primary URL Description: A video recording of Claire Moclock's presentation.

Kennywood grant project Instagram post (Web Resource)
Title: Kennywood grant project Instagram post
Author: Molly E. Petrilli
Author: Matthew Strauss
Abstract: The Kennywood grant project Instagram post created to announce the completion of the project and the launch of the online collection. The post includes a video featuring the digitized moving image content.
Year: 2022
Primary URL: https://www.instagram.com/p/CYjdzUwAxUc/
Primary URL Description: The URL containing the Instagram post.

Kennywood grant project Facebook post (Web Resource)
Title: Kennywood grant project Facebook post
Author: Molly E. Petrilli
Author: Matthew Strauss
Abstract: The Kennywood grant project Facebook post created to announce the completion of the project and the launch of the online collection. The post includes a video featuring the digitized moving image content.
Year: 2022
Primary URL: https://fb.watch/aNvr9_RVvX/
Primary URL Description: The URL containing the Facebook post.

Kennywood Records digital collection (Web Resource)
Title: Kennywood Records digital collection
Author: Matthew Strauss
Author: Claire Moclock
Abstract: The Kennywood Park Records digital collection contains photographs, administrative correspondence, publications, drawings, promotional material, and moving images.
Year: 2021
Primary URL: https://historicpittsburgh.org/collection/kennywood-park-records
Primary URL Description: URL containing the Kennywood Park Records digital collection.

Kennywood Park Records Finding Aid (Web Resource)
Title: Kennywood Park Records Finding Aid
Author: Claire Moclock
Abstract: The online finding aid for the Kennywood Park Records.
Year: 2021
Primary URL: https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/object/pitt%3AUS-QQS-MSS141/viewer
Primary URL Description: Link to the online finding aid for the Kennywood Park Records.

Kennywood Park Records MARC record (Web Resource)
Title: Kennywood Park Records MARC record
Author: Claire Moclock
Abstract: MARC record for the Kennywood Park Records.
Year: 2021
Primary URL: https://s92015.eos-intl.net/S92015/OPAC/Details/Record.aspx?BibCode=5656522
Primary URL Description: Link to the MARC record for the Kennywood Park Records.

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