It was a meeting of the Societies: Recently members of the Cleveland Park Historical Society (CPHS) spent a morning exploring the library and exhibits of the Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
While group visits allow for hands-on time with the collections as well as serve as an introduction to the Historical Society as a whole, they’re also an opportunity to gather additional information about our collections straight from those in the know. Who better, for example, to help identify the addresses and residents of a stretch of houses along Ashley Terrace – depicted in a circa 1920s panoramic image from the Capitol Photo Service Collection (SP 0114) – than folks who live on the block? By the end of the session, we had more information about the street scene for us to add to our catalog, and CPHS members got a glimpse of their neighborhood way back when.
In addition to images from the Capitol Photo Service collection and material relating to house history research, the group visit allowed CPHS members to check in on their own association’s collection. The Cleveland Park Historical Society records (MS 0747), donated in 2004, includes oral history tapes and other material relating to a history of the John Eaton school; paper models; records of community meetings; drafts of a mid-1990s Guide to Cleveland Park Merchants; documentation relating to the nomination for historic district status; and myriad additional resources. At nearly 28 cubic ft., the collection is rather sizable; while still being processed, the collection is available for research.
The next orientation for the Cleveland Park Historical Society will be held in the Fall. But there’s no need to wait until then to dive into the holdings relating to Cleveland Park: All those interested may contact the library for a research appointment.
Are you part of a community group interested in a custom orientation to the collections and programs of the Historical Society of Washington, D.C? If so, for more information on arranging group visits, please visit the Library Orientations page on DCHistory.org. Welcome!
