By Allison Lane, Assistant Communications Manager
MOUNT PLEASANT, SC (July 9, 2019) – The Mount Pleasant Historical Commission has begun the painstaking restoration work of six Town Council Minute Books, with the oldest dating back to 1852.
“The Town of Mount Pleasant and the Historical Commission are working to preserve and promote the Town’s history,” said Rick Gutowski, Historical Commission Chair. “We completed our first volume and expect to have all six books restored by 2020. “
The Charleston Library Society inspected the books, provided recommendations and began the restoration process.
“Based on the review, the Commission selected the ‘1913-1933 Minutes of Meetings of Town Council’ as the most in need of immediate care because it showed active mold blooms,” said Historical Commission Vice-Chair Patrick Morrissey.
Restoration of the first work included consolidating and repairing cloth, rebacking the missing spine, and removing staples and paper clips where possible. It also included performing paper repairs as necessary, interleaving a buffered paper barrier where appropriate, adding a mylar wrapper, and housing the volume in a clamshell box.
A variety of materials were used by the Charleston Library Society to restore the damaged volume. Some of the materials included Japanese wheat starch paste to re-adhere loose areas of cloth, Kitsukata Japanese tissue and Bristol board to line the spine, and 10-gram tengujo or a medium weight kitsukata to repair text blocks throughout the paper.
“As our Town continues to grow and change, these books give a direct account from the late 1800s and 1900s. They are the only record we have of government proceedings from this time.”
The Mount Pleasant Historical Commission works to promote the history and culture of the Town by creating opportunities for residents and visitors to experience and enjoy the community’s shared heritage. To learn more about the Mount Pleasant Historical Commission, visit their website at http://www.tompsc.com/160/Historical-Commission.