Join the Archives Committee

December 17, 2021
Jane Daniels, Archives Committee Chair
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

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Join the Archives Committee

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Who was Sam Wilkinson and why was a trail named after him? We need your help documenting Trail Conference history.

The Trail Conference is proud of its 101-year history. Much of that information can be read in Reflections. But there are more stories to tell, if you can find information in file cabinets labeled Archives. While effort has been put into organizing some files, there is more to be done, as I discovered when I was researching photos for Reflections. 

In early 2022, an Archives Committee will begin work to preserve additional information about the Trail Conference’s history, including the people involved and how trails were built.

Examples of work to be done include, but are not limited to:

  • Scan old issues of the Trail Walker; post on website
  • Research biographical information on previous award recipients and important people in the Trail Conference’s past (likely using material from the Trail Walker)
  • Write brief biographies; post on website
  • Organize printed material 
  • Develop filing system and implement it
  • Develop an index
  • Organize photos (physical and digital) and identify people and places in them
  • Collect the stories behind the trails that the Trail Conference has built, repaired, and maintains using old maps, earlier editions of trail guides, the Trail Walker, and interviewing folks who have volunteered for a long time. 
  • Index Reflections, including photos

Work will be done outside of any meetings and on your schedule. Many tasks can be coordinated with others and many can be done remotely.

If you have questions or want to help, please contact me [email protected]

I look forward to working with you on an interesting project.