Archival Storage

Yesterday I ordered an album, protective sheets, tissue paper etc to start the process of preserving Gaga's letters and cartoon originals. I ordered from Gaylord, a firm based in Syracuse, who gave us a box to store the scrapbook in on it's travels to Hudson Microimaging. They also had told me about a discount I could get because of my association with the Upstate History Alliance and the Museum Association of New York. I couldn't find the discount online, but they let me know I would get about $40.00 off the total order. If anyone would like to purchase archival storage for their ABChapin collection, check them out at www.gaylord.com and let me know. I will try to get you the discount too!

Today I received a package from my Aunt Bibsy, down in Naples. She has made a book of the letters Gaga wrote to her and her family over many years. I don't know how many letters there are yet, but it is exciting to start the process of preserving them for many years to come. We will be getting them stored digitally, so that we can all enjoy the pithy comments, funny illustrations, and get a sense of what life was like for our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. Actually, as the generations are growing, it goes all the way to great-great-great-grandparents! I will be taking them to Hudson Microimaging to have this done. Here is the link to their website:
www.HudsonMicroimaging.com

Letter to Elizabeth Foye Hickox on the birth of Lin Barbara, her 1st sibling

Here she is, Mary Sunshine!

Her she is! Miss Mary Sunshine. Next, I will post the letter Gaga wrote to me when Lin was born, telling me the story of these two girls.

Meet Sally Scowls!

This is an old family favorite. Now we need to find her sister, Mary Sunshine.

End of the Detour

We used this cartoon for Pepa's graduation announcement. Part of the reason I'm interested in doing this project is so that we can all have the opportunity to access these wonderful, timeless observations of life.

The Night Watch

Although created almost fifty years ago, the sentiment of this cartoon continues to resonate with parents today and fifty years from now.

Welcome to Gaga's Blog site

Just a quick note, to let you all know that I will be keeping this site updated as to the progress on scanning Gaga's scrapbook and cartoons. At this time, the scrapbook and some copies of his diaries are at Hudson Microimaging, near Kingston NY. As I become more familiar with blogging, I will post links and images so that you can all follow along and let me know any information or interesting tidbits we can add to the project. We have a fund set up, called the AB Chapin Preservation Fund, with donations from the Bakers, Eldridges, Fishers, McDowells, John Phelps and Lin Sigler. The Grobs have also pledged to contrribute, and so I will keep you all up-to-date with any expenses or contributions to that. So far we have $600.00! The cost so far will be around $300. Hudson Microimaging has taken an interest in Gaga's handwriting, so they are doing some experiments with that and giving us some services for free. As soon as I hear from them, I will let you all know.