When it comes to preserving the objects of our towns’ histories, it’s about more than simply setting artifacts aside for posterity’s sake and calling it a day. In order to preserve items for generations to come, there’s quite a bit of care to consider. And oftentimes, a little help from some knowledgeable friends can be key to keeping the keepsakes.
As work begins in earnest on the rehabilitation of the Manor House, the Shelter Island History Museum has stepped in and stepped up to aid in safeguarding objects that must be removed from the premises during the extensive work on the 1737 historic house.
“We are thrilled to be working with the Shelter Island History Museum to protect these precious resources during the Manor House construction,” Sylvester Manor executive director Stephen Searl said in a statement to the press. “This partnership covers all three aspects of our mission — preserve, cultivate, and share historic Sylvester Manor.”
Sylvester Manor and its 236 acres was once the slave and indentured servant-holding plantation of sugar merchant Nathanial Sylvester — and, up until 2014, a long line of his descendants. In that latter year, it was gifted to the nonprofit Sylvester Manor organization, which now encompasses a working, educational farm and requisite CSA, Afro-Indigenous burial ground, restored 19th-century windmill, nature trails that are open and free to the public and the 1737 Manor House, in which a multitude of vital artifacts reside.
Why can’t they just rent a storage unit for them and call it a day? Good question.
When it comes to properly safeguarding historical memorabilia, seemingly innocuous aspects of daily life can actually be harmful over time, if not immediately. Like what, you might ask?
- Light. Too much of it can wear and deteriorate everything from textiles to paper to photos. You’ve probably seen it in your own home — curtains or other upholstery that fades, pictures by a window that lighten or change colors. And it’s not just daylight that can be harmful, but fluorescent lights, too (often found in storage units), as both emit ultraviolet radiation.
- Humidity. On the East Coast, we sure know all about that. Too much can create mold and mildew, absorbing moisture and altering an object’s structure. Too little humidity? That’s not good either, as too-dry an atmosphere can turn objects from sturdy to delicate and crumbly.
- Temperature. Like too much or too little humidity, wild temperature swings (like in attic or basement) can mess with the condition of historical items. Add to that the possibility that pollutants and chemicals in the air can also adversely affect (and potentially destroy) precious artifacts.
- Critters. Insects like moths and termites, rodents like mice, squirrels and rats, and even human beings (oils from fingers touching preserved pieces) can add to the disintegration or even destruction of historical pieces.
The SIHM had made it their mission to preserve Island history since the not-for-profit was founded in 1922 and, thanks to an extensive building and restoration project that was completed in 2019, adding a two-level additoin designed by renowned architect and longtime Shelter Island resident, William Pedersen, to the historic, 283-year-old Havens House where the museum resides, as well as ample temperature-controlled archives and storage.
In addition to the robust and growing archival materials that the SIHM stewards and cares for, helping Sylvester Manor seemed like a perfect, if not perfectly necessary, fit.
“As partners, we are making sure that the important documents of our Island’s history are preserved and made available to researchers, scholars and the public,” says History Museum executive director Nanette Lawrenson. “Documents from both organizations will serve as the basis for further collaboration on exhibits and programs. We look forward to working together to share stories about Shelter Island and the experiences of its people.”
