Meaningful Materials: Revitalizing History and Heritage through Hands On Experiences

Abstract

The Fargo Theatre Material Heritage Mitigation and Preservation Project form the case study for this paper. This project used participant observation and interviews with the undergraduate anthropology students that worked on the Fargo Theatre project and interviews with local practitioners in the fields of public history, archival practice and anthropology. The results produced an understanding of how historical materials can affect participants. An increased trend of community involvement, renewed historical interest, and new identity within the community were some of the personal connections that that students made with the historical materials. Working with the Fargo Theatre materials not only presented an opportunity for some historically valuable materials to be discovered and maintained, but the students‘ involvement became more meaningful than anticipated. The strong personal connections students made with their community identity and their increased knowledge, and appreciation for the history of this area became a highlight throughout the project.