Hjalmar Peterson wanted to donate his diaries to the museum at R.J. Haney Heritage Village. He was a board member and knew how much they would be appreciated by the archivist. They were his personal record of community and family life. Hjalmar's neice Janet Hanna accepted the job of reading and transcribing the diaries. She started in January. When the pandemic hit Janet found herself with a little more time to dedicate tot he project. . .

We can hardly wait to show you this new diorama! Thanks to the "boys" at Hucul Printing, the Observer's 1913 printing press will be operating soon. . .

"Meet me at the Club" was the Demers and Tillman Pool Hall and Barbershop advertisement in the Salmon Arm Observer in 1913. The Club is the latest exhibit at R.J. Haney Heritage Village. We have accomplished quite a lot this year. . .

Hector Wilson's name is etched in stone on the Salmon Arm Centotaph. Why? He wasn't a long term resident. Archives researcher Don Paterson helped solve the local mystery by connecting to Cindy Kilpatrick, Hector's Great Niece. Isn't the internet a wonderful thing? Hector's story begins in Port of Spain, Trinidad and ends in France. . .

When Nina Mecuri contacted the archives about a piece she was working on, it was more than timely. She was interested in the Herald family and the history of the Provincial Park named for them on Shuswap Lake. By happpenstance a collection of letters to the Herald family had made their way to the archives room the year before. This spring I was able to address the backlog. . .

Retired M.D. Don Paterson likes to help the archives out by doing research remotely. He recently looked into the life and times of Salmon Arm resident Henry Arthur Harper who also went by Arthur Henry Harper when it suited him. Ancestry.ca provided some of the answers. . .

Most summers we have a student. He or she learns about what goes on behind the scenes of the museum. They all receive a well rounded introduction - working in the archives, managing the artefact collection, and helping to install displays. Some years we even move the collection! This summer was no exception. Our student Bethany also learned all about our new safety protocols and kept her bathroom spotless!

The location of the first Sprig of Heather was a mystery. The Salmon Arm Observer reported it was in the Ashton Cottage. Back in 1910, locals called all one storey houses "cottages," but where was this cottage located? It had to be central to other businesses. . .

Reviewing the history of our community's built heritage is like visiting with old friends. Working on the content for Salmon Arm's App "On This Spot" was a chance to introduce the developer and writer to the character of our community. Meet the I.M. Lyman House, Number 9 on the City of Salmon Arm's Community Heritage Register!

Dr. Don Paterson is a friend to the Museum. He has access to resources like Ancestry.ca and loves a good mystery. When I asked him to research an incident at the Lee Creek School, he took the project on with enthusiasm.