Life in Darien during COVID-19, historical society seeks images, videos

Do you have photos, videos or other artifacts that illustrate daily life in Darien during the current COVID-19 crisis?

If so, the Darien Historical Society is asking community members to partner with the Museum in a “Bring History Home” project by sending their documents and photos to info@darienhistorical.org.

The information may be shared intermittently with the community, and eventually will be stored in the Museum’s digital archive to document the local experience of the community during the current lockdown.

“These are unprecedented times, and while it’s our mission to dig into our past, we also need to gather information on our lives today, so we can tell our story to future generations,” said Robert J. Pascal, Jr., president of the Society’s board of directors.

To document the past, historians use photos, videos, artwork, artifacts and even diary entries to help recreate moments in time. By putting that information into a larger context, it helps make connections to the past, said Executive Director Maggie McIntire.

“In Great Britain during World War II, officials asked residents to keep personal journals, and today those items are an invaluable tool for understanding the experience of the war,” McIntire said.

McIntire said any information that can be shared in a digital format and conveys an experience from the current crisis will be considered. A brief description, name and age of the sender should be included.

“Even children’s drawings are a wonderful window into a community’s shared experience,” McIntire said. “In fact, quite often, those items are the most poignant.”

Photo Credit: Darien Times

Come celebrate our town’s story with us! To learn more the work and mission of the Darien Historical Society and other exciting initiatives, call us at 203.655.9233 or visit our website: www.darienhistorical.org.