UDC Museum Charleston S.C.

[chadwick]

Re: UDC Museum Charleston S.C.

It is certainly your privilege to take whatever side of the story you would like, and please feel free to copy my postings and take them to the director of the museum. I look forward to hearing her comments.

However, I will not allow you to lecture me on what it means to be a Charlestonian or what it means to love history. I have met you sir and you are not a Charlestonian. In fact you spent the majority of that meeting telling me, in language that cannot be repeated here, how if others did not like the way you did things then they should find another organization to join.

I have spent years working with historical organizations here in Charleston both big and small and have never had a problem with offering assistance to an organization like I experience with the UDC museum. I furthermore do not know how you could assume that I somehow made, “sure that we reenactors will never gain access to a valuable museum,” when I never mentioned to the UDC ladies that I was anything more than a concerned citizen. Are you truly afraid that there will soon be a “Reenactors Not Welcomed” sign hanging in the window? The simple truth is that their poor relationship with reenactors dates back numerous years to events surrounding the aftermath of hurricane Hugo and centered around many of the policies and decisions made by the director of the museum at that time.

My experience that day has led me to discuss my concerns with many members of the museum community, including some very respected curators throughout the southeast, and everyone of them expressed the same concern for the collection and offered their own personal stories of their less than productive interactions with the director of the museum over the years. I assure you that I am not the lone voice screaming in the wilderness.

[coastaltrash]

Re: UDC Museum Charleston S.C.

I've had the great honor to be around Scott a few times, and can honestly say that if Scott Evans told me the sky was green, then I would believe it. Truthful, honest and upstanding guy!

[bAcK88]

Re: UDC Museum Charleston S.C.

Scott,

Is it reasonable to assume that the director has no education or training in current museum management practices? And is there any progress being made on the matter and if so how can the nearly 8,000 members of this forum (which one would assume would give a damn about the survival of irreplaceable historical artifacts) contribute to the effort?

[SCTiger]

Re: UDC Museum Charleston S.C.

I have met you sir and you are not a Charlestonian..

Well I work and pay taxes here. That's really relevant to the situation. My family has been in SC since 1696. I only get that "your not a Charlestonian" from tools like yourself and thank God there aren't many of them.

Thanks for helping to hinder our efforts in trying to secure a good relationship with the museum. Maybe you should address your concerns directly and not attack little old ladies in person or behind their back. If that is your idea of help, maybe you shouldn't help out as much. Supposedly personal attacks are not allowed on the AC, even if they are factual. I could also give 2 cents what you or Landrum think of me. Come to Ft. Lamar next weekend and I will address these issues in person.

[OldKingCrow]

Re: UDC Museum Charleston S.C.

Doc,

Claude Sinclair is a man who has a track record of being able to make things happen in Charleston on a grander scale when others couldn't.

Chris Rideout
Tampa, Florida

[FloridaConscript]

Re: UDC Museum Charleston S.C.

Supposedly personal attacks are not allowed on the AC, even if they are factual. I could also give 2 cents what you or Landrum think of me. Come to Ft. Lamar next weekend and I will address these issues in person.

Then why have you called Scott a liar and a tool in as many posts? I know Scott personally and am lucky enough to count him as a friend and messmate. I'll stake my reputation on his conducting himself in a pleasant manner when dealing with the UDC people. He didn't even tell them he was a living historian/re enactor so this may be a case of mistaken identity, in which case you owe Scott an apology.

[Brandon]

Re: UDC Museum Charleston S.C.

Well getting back on the topic of this thread, I talked to a friend over the weekend and he said he had went to th UDC musuem a few weeks ago and they have installed humidity controls in the cases and they are making efforts to improve the facility to preserve the collection. The women running it on the other hand have not made any effort to change their additudes and are still extreamly rude.

[chadwick]

Re: UDC Museum Charleston S.C.

There has been a good deal of progress made with respects to educating some members of the UDC both locally and nationally to the condition of the artifacts. I truly believe that some of the past presidents and current members would like to see a change. In fact, some of them, who have asked to remain nameless, have taken it upon themselves to seek out a site review from a respected curator. This may explain the addition of the humidity controls.


As to “directing my concerns directly,” I believe that we have done so; just as many others have done in the past. Discussions with these few interested UDC members have been promising, but the same obstacle at the top remains ever present.


To the question of funding, which is obviously a major one, we are waiting to meet with officials who may be able to help both with both preservation ideas and financing. I am hoping that as the state primaries pass and the spring session of the House ends that we will be able to move forward with more detailed discussions.

Bill and all, I appreciate your continued interests and will certainly post any information of how we as a community of historians can lend assistance to the project when the time comes. I have been told by many who have fought this fight before that it will prove to be a long and drawn out adventure.

[Becky Morgan]

Re: UDC Museum Charleston S.C.

I don't want to get into any arguments here. This is just a question, for what it's worth: would window film be a viable short-term solution to preventing some of the UV damage that may be a problem? UV-blocking film wouldn't be that expensive (in our area, at any rate) and could be presented as an air conditioning money saver, which it would also be. Not perfect, I know, but would it at least give some protection to exposed battle flags and the like?

[chadwick]

Re: UDC Museum Charleston S.C.

I don't want to get into any arguments here. This is just a question, for what it's worth: would window film be a viable short-term solution to preventing some of the UV damage that may be a problem? UV-blocking film wouldn't be that expensive (in our area, at any rate) and could be presented as an air conditioning money saver, which it would also be. Not perfect, I know, but would it at least give some protection to exposed battle flags and the like?

Becky,

That would certainly help cut down on the light coming in through the windows. Right now they have a shade made of mesh that does not block the sun effectively and allows in a great deal of light and heat.

Unfortunately it is the opinion of the current director that no other protection is needed.


However, one of the other UDC members who also sits on the museum board has expressed to me a desire to eliminate the risk of light damage by completely covering the windows. She says that this idea was pitched several years ago but was blocked by the City of Charleston, who owns the building, as they thought that it would take away from the building’s appearance.

The window situation is on the top of the list of issues to be brought before our local officials and it is hoped that a change can be made on a city level. It would go a long way to reduce the daily bleaching of the material and help cut down on the warmth of the room during the summer.

[John-Owen Kline]

Re: UDC Museum Charleston S.C.

The women running it on the other hand have not made any effort to change their additudes and are still extreamly rude.

It is safe to say that the Charleston ladies saw what happend when the Cape Fear UDC lost control of the relic collection in Wilmington NC.

http://www.capefearmuseum.com/index.php?flag=about_museum

[Brandon]

Re: UDC Museum Charleston S.C.

I'm not sure I am understanding what you are getting at. I think its great that an organization was able to add to the collection in Wilmington and properly share the collection with the public. I have visited the Charleston UDC Museum multiple times and every time I have felt like I was unwanted there. I know for a fact that there have been a lot of people that have visited the museum that have left feeling like those ladies were d-bags.

[chadwick]

Re: UDC Museum Charleston S.C.

It is safe to say that the Charleston ladies saw what happend when the Cape Fear UDC lost control of the relic collection in Wilmington NC.

http://www.capefearmuseum.com/index....g=about_museum

Perhaps a better comparison would be to look at what happened here in South Carolina to the collection of the Wade Hampton UDC camp in Columbia when the group was no longer able to protect and display the items properly. The state was able to step in and assume the financial burden of restoring and protecting the treasures which now make up the bulk of the South Carolina Relic Room collection. The Relic Room is a well run museum and they have worked tirelessly to preserve the items in their charge.

The director of the Relic Room explained to me that when they took over the collection they did so with an understanding that they would present the items in a way that carried on the mission and vision of the Columbia UDC camp. They have since been able to incorporate other items from UDC camps around the state. Items which otherwise would have been lost to future generations.

However, I do not feel that the Charleston UDC needs to give up their collection to anyone or lose control of how their story is told. Instead, my wish would be to see the collection remain under the direction of the local UDC chapter with a goal toward true preservation and education. A goal funded by those who too love the collection and want to see it last.

[John-Owen Kline]

Re: UDC Museum Charleston S.C.

I'm not sure I am understanding what you are getting at. I think its great that an organization was able to add to the collection in Wilmington and properly share the collection with the public. I have visited the Charleston UDC Museum multiple times and every time I have felt like I was unwanted there. I know for a fact that there have been a lot of people that have visited the museum that have left feeling like those ladies were d-bags.

You think its great? What do you know that I don't know? I would say perhaps .5% of the original UDC collection is on display. The rest is de-accessioned or banished to perpetual storage. The MacRae (NCCD) uniform lot was never returned to the collection by the state. Similar things happened to the Ford collection when the CFM purchased the Blockade Runner Museum artifacts.

...d-bags...

That's productive.

[John-Owen Kline]

Re: UDC Museum Charleston S.C.

Perhaps a better comparison would be to look at what happened here in South Carolina to the collection of the Wade Hampton UDC camp in Columbia when the group was no longer able to protect and display the items properly. The state was able to step in and assume the financial burden of restoring and protecting the treasures which now make up the bulk of the South Carolina Relic Room collection. The Relic Room is a well run museum and they have worked tirelessly to preserve the items in their charge.

The director of the Relic Room explained to me that when they took over the collection they did so with an understanding that they would present the items in a way that carried on the mission and vision of the Columbia UDC camp. They have since been able to incorporate other items from UDC camps around the state. Items which otherwise would have been lost to future generations.

However, I do not feel that the Charleston UDC needs to give up their collection to anyone or lose control of how their story is told. Instead, my wish would be to see the collection remain under the direction of the local UDC chapter with a goal toward true preservation and education. A goal funded by those who too love the collection and want to see it last.

I'm not saying they need to or will give anything up. I think they are afraid they will be forced to if they cannot afford the changes everybody proposes. I'm sure you know how wildly expensive conservation is and how overpriced most private conservators are.