Family and community history is slipping through our fingers as important materials are lost and the older generations pass from us, taking a wealth of irretrievable knowledge with them.
If family and community history is to be preserved, we need to talk to older family members and acquaintances about living in a different time, and how they came to be the people they are. There are things only they can answer or explain, and, sadly, they won’t be available forever.
Our hope is that families will begin this kind of discussion, and make it a priority to reach out and talk to members of the older generations, sharing a record of the outcome with others who should have it.
Although it might seem obvious, the most difficult thing in this kind of discussion is knowing what questions to ask! The Edgewood Museum has compiled an extensive list of questions to select from as conversation starters when inquiring about the life of a relative or friend.