|
|
|
To
actively research and preserve the newspaper heritage of Whatcom
County, and to ensure that all surviving newspapers are available on
quality microfilm for research.
The
Whatcom County Historical Society is advocating the formation of a
group dedicated to researching and preserving this great resource. The
first meeting will be held in Spring/Summer of 2003 if there is enough
volunteer interest. The project would be divided into two or three
phases:
-
Phase One
-
Compile a history of newspaper publishing and publishers of
Whatcom County, to include a complete every-title index of
known newspapers.
-
Record all newspapers available in public collections which
are sufficiently available for researchers.
-
List all newspapers which are either missing entirely, or have
editions missing.
-
Aid in preserving the collection of original newspapers
located at the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies, and
advocate for the preservation of original newspapers in other
collections.
-
Phase Two
-
Research the costs involved with microfilming part or all of
the newspapers identified as needing preservation or
re-microfilming.
-
Research costs and practicalities of digitizing selected
newspapers for wider access.
-
Solicit donations and apply for grants to fund the costs
involved with microfilming the selected issues.
-
Phase Three
-
Facilitate the microfilming, either by purchasing the
equipment and using volunteer effort, or by hiring an outside
company to do the work.
-
Facilitate the digitization (scanning) of selected newspapers.
-
Facilitate the distribution of microfilm to local libraries,
research centers, and organizations.
-
Publish a book/let on the history of Whatcom County newspaper
publishing.
|
|
Some History
Whatcom County has seen many newspapers come and go in its almost
150 years of existence. The first was the "Northern Light"
, published by William Bausman in the summer of 1858. Only 13
issues were set to type, and the editor returned to San Francisco,
stating that " Whatcom has gone in, and the Light has gone out".
James Powers edited the next publication, entitled the "Bellingham
Bay Mail" from 1873 until 1879. This enterprise was
headquartered in the
brick county
courthouse, first brick building in Washington Territory. But
this, too, faded away and it was not until the 1880s that Whatcom
County would begin a string of unbroken newspaper coverage of
county and world events. These newspapers detail our collective
heritage, and are priceless resources for the historically minded.
But haphazard microfilming, missing editions, and completely
unmicrofilmed newspapers are what Whatcom County researchers face
today. Nothing is more frustrating than finding a day missing or
knowing that the papers exist, but are not available to look at
when you would like to. Attempts have been made before to locate
missing newspapers and microfilm editions that needed it,
especially connected with the Washington Statehood Centennial a
few years back. This project would be a more comprehensive effort
to compile a complete roster of all newspapers published in
Whatcom County, detail those papers which still exist today in
public and private collections, and arrange for the microfilming
of the newspapers which have either not been microfilmed before or
of which the existing microfilm is of poor quality. |
If
you are interested in being involved with this project, please
send an email to:
SunnyStaatz@gmail.com |
|
|
|
|
