Funds needed to digitize historic records in Lancaster County
(Lancaster) — The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County is setting out to digitize its archives, but a bit more money needs to be raised before the project can be completed.
The trust has been gathering information on the County’s historic properties for nearly 50 years, and now has photos and records for over 10-thousand properties.
But Executive Director Joe Patterson says they’re all paper records, which makes them vulnerable to fires, floods or other disasters.
“We think it’s important because this does preserve our history and culture in Lancaster County,” Patterson says, “and that’s certainly a key part of why Lancaster County is so attractive not only to visit but to live here.”
Digitizing the records won’t just protect them — as Patterson notes the project will also result in a searchable, online database.
He says the trust has received $10,000 in grant funding from the John and James Steinman foundations. It’s enough to get started, but the group is still looking to raise $32,000.
The trust is working with Lancaster-based Nxtbook Media to complete the work in three phases.
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