A Firm Foundation: Archival Research and Interpretation at Historic Sites

Abstract

Archival research provides a firm foundation for interpretation at numerous historic sites throughout the United States. This research assures both the public and museum staff that what is portrayed at the site is historically accurate. A number of factors influence the type of resources used and their interpretation. Some of the questions addressed in this article include: How has the growth of social history influenced the use of archival materials at historic sites? What role do archival materials play in planning an exhibit? Do researchers favor certain types of archival materials when interpreting historic buildings, interiors, and individuals? How do missing or weak archival sources affect interpretation? What role do archival materials play in the presentation of sensitive or controversial issues? By answering these questions, one gains a better understanding of the complex relationship between archival research and historic interpretation.

Cite this work

No public copy is stored for this record, so only the metadata is cited.

Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 2 citations exist upstream.

Papers that cite the same references — the relational fallback while embeddings are still backfilling.