Fridays at the Museum: Volunteering at the Museum of Buford

I am a Californian by birth but a Southerner at heart. Seven years ago I moved
from my home state to Buford, Georgia and knew this is where I belonged. It has
always seemed to me that the South has held on to, and cherishes, it's past.
There is an immediacy to the history here, from the cemeteries at the sides of
roads to the old brick buildings. It is my love of this history that has led me
to becoming a volunteer at the Museum of Buford. This blog is meant to be a sort
of digital diary about the my experiences there.

I've never volunteered before. But  given my deep love of history, and my fascination with the history of the South in particular, becoming a volunteer at the Museum of Buford was  inevitable. I am sorry to say I never had a chance to visit the museum  in it's old location in the basement of a building on Main Street. But  the museum's new home at the Buford Community Center is wonderful and seems to  me like the perfect setting for all the displays.

Two weeks ago I met with Lynn Bowman, the Museum of Buford's curator and signed up to become volunteer.  I've been in touch with Lynn off and on for a few years now because of  my research into a particularly interesting character from Buford's  past, Bonnie Rowe (but more on him in future posts). Unfortunately,  time, work, and life in general kept Lynn and I from officially meeting. However, a change in my circumstances happened at just the right  time...the MOB was moving, hours were to be expanded, volunteers  needed...and here I am, penciled in  for most every Friday. 

As I stated in my introduction, this blog is meant to be more  or less a weekly diary of my experience at the museum. I'll be talking about and sharing photos of the museum's  exhibits, including new acquisitions, revolving exhibits, and any tips I  pick up along the way about the care, storage and displaying of  artifacts. I also plan to pick one collection, photo or artifact a week  and share it's particular story. For instance, did you know that the city of Buford once had a hospital? I didn't.

I may even, from time to time, post a  photo of an obscure object displayed in the museum and ask readers to  guess what it is.

Further, I plan to occasionally include information and on the historic buildings in Buford, or other places of historical  significance around town, or maybe even  in Gwinnett County.

I invite feedback, so please feel free to comment or make suggestions for the blog.