RAVALLICOUNTYMUSEUM
ARCHIVE FIELD WORK
WHAT IS AN “ARCHIVE”?
An archive is a place in which public records or historical records are stored.
WHAT WILL YOU FIND IN AN ARCHIVE?
Usually you will find these public and historical records take the form of: Newspapers, books, manuscripts, magazines, photographs, maps, census records, marriage records, birth/death certificates, oral interview transcripts and tapes, and cemetery records.
HOW DO YOU USE THESE RECORDS?
These records are usually associated with PRIMARY RESEARCH meaning that they are first-hand accounts of some type of happening or event by actual witnesses of these events. The possible uses are limitless.
WHO WILL HELP YOU?
First, you need to help yourself! Be clear in your idea of what your looking for and expand out from there. Secondly, most archives have a person called an “archivist” whose job it is to help you locate information or clarify your field of search. You only need 2 things when using an archives: An open mind and free time.
WHAT ARE THE MUSEUM’S HOURS?
The museum is open Thursday-Monday, 10:00am-4:00pm
The museum is closed Tuesday and Wednesday
Phone: 363-3338 (Location: Corner or Bedford and 3rd (behind Ravalli County Court House)
YOUR ASSIGNMENT
You are to return to the RavalliCountyMuseum and find the obituary for the person that you did the rubbing of their headstone. This will require that you use microfilm of old local newspapers. BE AWARE THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO GO THE MUSEUM ON YOUR OWN TIME. PLAN ACCORDINGLY. THE DUE DATES ARE LISTED AFTER EACH PART OF THE ASSIGNMENT.
1. There is a card file of all of the recorded obituaries that the archives knows about. Go to this card file and look up your subject. The card will tell you which newspaper the “real” obituary was in and the date of that paper. Ask the archivist to get the microfilm for you...it’s their job.
2. YOU MIGHT NOT ABLE TO FIND YOUR SUBJECT’S OBITUARY! This is especially true for someone that died before 1890. That’s OK....Look for one from his/her family or another from the time period. Be creative! Don’t be denied! You can always walk over to the main court house and go to the Clerk and Recorders office in the southeast corner and purchase a copy of the death certificate.
- Use the microfilm machine to locate the proper obituary. Get some help loading the roll of film in the machine if needed. Make a good copy of the obituary. (100 points for the copy)
4. Make a comparison of the obituary you wrote and the real one. Write a 1-2 paragraph comparison. What information did you leave out? What type of person was this? LIST 3 things that sets this person apart... maybe age, profession, club membership, family members, cause of death. (50 points for the comparison)
DUE
5. You will then incorporate your headstone rubbing, the fictitious obituary, and the “real” obituary on a piece of tag board suitable for public display (I’ll supply the tag board). This display will be used for our Heritage Night in February. (100 points for the display board) DUE