Event date:    Friday, January 28, 2011

Event place:  Colton, CA

Discover Agua Mansa

Join San Bernardino County Museum Curator of History Michele Nielsen for a free program at Agua Mansa Pioneer Cemetery in Colton on Friday, January 28 at 1pm. This one-hour program is open to the public free of charge.

            Nielsen will take visitors for an informal tour at the site and will offer a close-up look at the photographic and documentary treasures related to the cemetery, and to some of the families represented at the site. Nielsen will also discuss how documents and photographs are important in the telling of history.

            “Agua Mansa Cemetery is an important link to our collective past,” said Nielsen. “Each of the persons buried here has a story and their experiences, and those of their families and descendants, are our history."

            As a part of this event, guests will also have a chance to learn more about caring for their own family photographs, documents, and textiles to preserve them for the future through a mini demonstration using things like archival acid free storage containers. A resource hand-out will be available so everyone can find out how to obtain the needed boxes, tissue paper, and the like.

            “Just like the cemetery and its artifacts, family treasures you have at home are a link to your past, a legacy for future generations,” continued Nielsen. “The cemetery is a great place to find out about ways you can preserve your family treasures. We will talk about simple, easy steps you can take now to prolong the life of your family treasures, ensuring that future generations can enjoy family connections with them.  We will look at care, handling and storage techniques you can use today that will make a difference for tomorrow.”

            One of the San Bernardino County Museum historic sites, The Agua Mansa Pioneer Cemetery is located at 2001 W. Agua Mansa Road in Colton. For more information, call (909) 307-2669 ext. 240, or visit www.sbcountymuseum.org.

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