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Press Release: For Immediate Release:
March 23, 2007 by Anita McClung, Fayette County,
WV
Archives Protest Picking Up
Steam
HEAR COMMENTS FROM VIRGINIA
GILLESPIE BY CLICKING "LIVE AUDIO" ICON ABOVE.
A group focused on preserving the state's historic documents wants to get the
governor's attention and they plan to do it with e-mails from across the
country and thousands of signatures on petitions.
The group, Mining Your Family History, is protesting a proposal by the
state to add a mini-Tamarack with a gift shop and snack bar at the West Virginia
Cultural Center.
Virginia Gillespie with MYFH says the building was never meant to house any sort
of food service, large or small. That was decided in the 70s when the
building was under construction. "When they did an investigation, the architects
learned that it was a no-no to put a food center where you store archival
documents." Gillespie says the group is worried about vermin like cockroaches,
mice and rats damaging valuable documents.
Gillespie says to make room for the proposed mini-Tamarack; the archives library
would be moved into the Library Commission Library. That's another big
concern for the preservation group. Gillespie says, "You don't put archival
documents, one of a kind historical books and papers into a lending library
because there's too much danger these books could be lost. Someone could
permanently borrow." The collection includes documents from the Revolutionary
War, John Brown's letters and the first official papers from when West Virginia
became a state.
MYFH is urging every historic and preservation society in the state to start
getting the word out about the possible change and they're sending petitions
to anyone who can fill them with signatures.
The group is also urging concerned citizens to contact those in charge of the
decision personally. Gillespie says, "What we're doing is urging people to
send letters to the governor and to Secretary of Arts and Education Kay Goodwin
and let them know how precious this resource is to us."
The governor has already received e-mails from former West Virginia residents
living all over the country, as far away as California, who ask him to
reconsider the proposal.
Dear friends and family,
This is very important and if you, like myself, love genealogy and finding facts
about our long lost ancestors, this is VERY IMPORTANT. We need to stop
this action before it begins or risk losing precious documents for the future
generations that wish to follow in our footsteps.
If you are unable to sign a petition, email Gov. Manchin himself and let him
know how you feel about this subject. Even if you no longer are a resident of
the state of West Virginia, your roots as well as those of your ancestors are
still here!
Cut and paste this address to your email: governor@wvgov.org
FOR QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT:
Anita McClung, Fayette
County, WV
SWALNUT934@aol.com
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