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Preserving history, one memory at a time

Mar 30, 2023 08:28AM ● By Alisha Copfer

Sharing a family legacy can be as easy as attending a single event. On March 17, several people joined the Morgan County Historical Society and the Utah Division of State History to help preserve some memories. This event was free to everyone in the community and was held at the Morgan County Library.

These Scan and Save events are an initiative by historical societies to help preserve and digitize documents and photographs. Community members were encouraged to bring their photos, old scrapbooks, letters and any other historical documents and materials that represented their past and current families as well as the community.

The historical society then scans these photographs and documents and saves them in a digital format, which makes them easily accessible and searchable for future generations. Staff and volunteers also engaged with the attendees while learning more about their items. 

“I think that the event was a success,” said Tyler Clarke, Assistant Historian for the Morgan County Historical Society. “Us and the state historical society scanned 26 images ranging from portraits of pioneers to business ledgers from the Morgan Canning Co. and invitations of an old Morgan High School graduation.”

These Scan and Save events are an excellent way for community members to contribute to preserving their local history and ensuring that crucial and cultural artifacts are not lost to time.

Once these materials are scanned, they will be added to archives and digital collections, where they can be accessed by anyone who is interested in Morgan’s history. In some cases, these materials may also be used to create exhibits, displays or other educational programs that help to highlight the cultural heritage of the community.

Clarke said the pictures and information that were shared during the event will be uploaded onto the Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement website (collections.lib.utah.edu) in about a month. 

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