Glenwood historical society seeks support

GLENWOOD SPRINGS Historians provide a link between the past and the future.The Glenwood Springs Frontier Historical Society is asking for support from the community to continue its mission of preserving that link. It will be mailing out roughly 550 flyers to advertise a membership drive in April.”People should become members because we’re basically here to preserve Glenwood’s history,” Museum Director Cindy Hines said. “I would love to see us double or triple our membership.”FHS Registrar Willa Soncarty said learning about a city’s history helps people become better citizens. They become more connected to the community and more civic-minded – more likely to care about the community and get involved.Glenwood’s economy has always been largely based on tourism, Hines said, and heritage tourism is a growing phenomenon.Operating the society costs more than people realize, Hines and Soncarty said. Membership money gets used on everything from helping out in the archives to paying utility bills. It’s spent on things like archival materials, providing outreach programs and website maintenance.The historical society puts on a number of activities to benefit the community. Among other things, the annual winter lecture series, Linwood Pioneer Cemetery rehabilitation project, annual ghost walk and historical presentations will all be advertised. The society works with schools, helps people research genealogy and history, and maintains archives of newspaper clips, manuscripts and a collection of around 5,000 photos. Soncarty writes a weekly column for the Post Independent to inform readers of local history. The society is also working to get more interpretive signage installed with historical information in different locations around town. The society has worked to get buildings on the National Historic Register. And of course, there’s the museum.There’s also a steady trickle of new photos and manuscripts that need to be filed in the archives. Hines said some months the society receives as many as five or six new items to preserve.Membership includes free museum admission, a quarterly newsletter, museum store discounts, ghost walk discounts and a historical society magnet. Membership fees start as low as $15 for people over 60, and those wishing to donate $1,000 can sponsor a room or exhibit in the museum for a year. People who donate $100 or more get a guided tour, their name on a plaque in the museum and a plaque for their home or office.Visit http://www.glenwoodhistory.com or call 945-4448 for more information.