Learning how to preserve family heirlooms

With a presentation explaining the best ways to protect old books, papers and photographs, members and friends of the San Gorgonio Pass Historical Society learned how to handle, organize and store precious mementos at the Oct. 10 “Preserve Your Family Heirlooms” workshop at the Beaumont Woman’s Club.

Tony Pierucci, historic preservation officer for Riverside County Parks, led the free workshop, and discussed the varying external forces that degrade this type of ephemera and how best to treat each item within the preservation process and avoid further deterioration.

Part of a series of seminars designed to help the community learn more about preserving personal family histories, subsequent workshops will be offered in 2020 to delve into the preservation of other keepsakes, such as clothing and dishware.

In the coming weeks, the historical society’s museum will be open on Saturdays, Nov. 2 and Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and is located inside the Beaumont Woman’s Club. On Thursday, Nov. 14, the society will present “Early Postmasters and Post Offices in the San Gorgonio Pass” at 7 p.m. at the Dorothy Ramon Learning Center’s Gathering Hall (the former Banning Post Office) at 127 N. San Gorgonio Ave. These events are free, and all are welcome to attend. For more information about society events, visit the San Gorgonio Pass Historical Society’s Facebook page.