“There is no greater power on this earth than story.” 

~ Libba Bray, Author

Just notes from the SCAHS Directors: 

Elaine Wayland, Genie Nielsen, Carol Lee Johnson and JoAnn Topham.

We are so pleased to report to the citizens of Sevier County that at last we have a history and archive department in Sevier County. Many of us have been concerned and aware of the need for the preservation and accessibility of the past work that has been done by the historians in our area that have worked so hard to collect, write and sometimes publish our precious history events and stories. And we know there are still many stories that need to be collected, preserved and shared.

Thanks to our County Commissioners approval and support of the proposal to create a position of Archivist/Historian in the county, we have been able to start this important work.

With county support and local donations, we have been able to hire an Archivist and a Historian. We plan to accomplish this task of collecting, preserving and sharing Sevier County’s heritage and history by:

• Being a “History Hub” or a center in the county that connects our towns and cities of the county, our local libraries, and our local heritage/history organizations to interact with the Utah State Archives and Records, Utah Department of Culture and Community Engagement, and the Utah State Historical Society. To eventually fit with the state proposals of us being a regional history hub with Utah State contacts to contribute local records, histories and records.

• Gathering of local history by mayor appointed historians to evaluate, secure and preserve history for future generations.  

• Providing a channel for local volunteers to coordinate and support these local resources.

• Developing a Sevier County History Digital Archive website that will providing online identification and promotion of our county/community resources including a Sevier County bibliography with links to the physical or online resources.

• Providing a contact point for those wishing to preserve, research family and community histories.

• Identifying and determining the need for preserving local government records.

Mainly, we want to celebrate and promote our local heritage. If you want to find written histories or items, you can go to the SCAHS website and find it’s exact location either physically or on-line.

Archives: Preserving our Past

Sevier County Archives and Heritage Services has made significant strides in establishing its operations over the past few months. They have successfully set up their offices, creating a dedicated space to manage the county’s historical records and heritage projects. The Archivist has been thoroughly researching professional archival equipment and best practices, ensuring she is prepared to maintain and preserve the archives in accordance with industry standards. They have also explored available resources for staff training to ensure that their team is well-equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge.

A key part of their recent work includes researching potential grants to support their efforts. Team members Tonia and Teresa attended a grant-writing workshop offered by the Small Business Development Center at Snow College. This training will assist in securing funds for future projects. The archives department also created an organizational chart outlining their processes and a comprehensive overview of Sevier County Archives and Heritage Services (SCAHS), ensuring operations are structured for growth. 

To further refine strategies, the Archivist toured the Emery County Archives and Uintah County Regional History Center, gathering insights from other regional archives. The Archives Division has also been researching content management systems to optimize how it manages and stores Sevier County’s valuable historical content, ensuring the records are accessible and well-preserved for future generations.

Our “History Hub” website designs are underway. We will begin by featuring what makes each town unique, along with a brief historical overview and information about the founding families. The text is currently being compiled by the city historians through research of historical records. 

Heritage Services: Gathering our Past

The Heritage Services division of our efforts to discover and preserve key details of events, records, and individuals has been hard at work in connecting with all mayor-appointed city historians. Each perspective of every town in Sevier County is unique and requires special attention devoted to the gathering and inventory of such history. We have been working with several historians to identify areas of research and study that are considered most passionate and important for each city, as well as engaging in efforts to set up initial information for our History Hub website. Further meetings with city historians will take place to help them begin a standard process of obtaining information to be shared and eventually digitized and archived.

As part of the process for collecting, digitizing, and preserving history, a series of trainings for historians are in the process of being developed. These trainings will consist of a combination of accessible online resources and activities to help assist historians with entering collection data, as well as in-person training to assist in various gathering processes that uphold ethical and legal guidelines. These training courses are geared to answer key questions related to any conducting of interviews, where to find key information, best practices for recording and obtaining history, etc. These trainings are meant to enact a smooth process for historians in their gathering efforts, while also establishing levels of consistency in the gathering of content before transitioning to any elements of digitizing and preservation.

Among other activities, the Heritage Services division is committed to engaging in historical efforts throughout each city within the county. Efforts are being made to collaborate with personally formed organizations in each city that advocate for preservation, such as that of historical societies, family history organizations, and committees working towards the building of a historical museum. Additionally, collaboration with organizations such as the National Youth Storytellers are being implemented to establish clubs and activities designed for youth to learn and share stories, participate in history-oriented service projects, and discover their potential as they look forward to implementing a similar historical legacy in their own lives.

Newsletter originally published September 30, 2024.