Lodi Historical Society searches for new home
A year after its tumultuous split with the Hill House trustees, the Lodi Historical Society is shifting its focus to finding a new home for its artifacts, promoting the preservation of history in the community and maintaining membership.
“We’re struggling to find a new site,” said Loren Perry, president of the society. “We still want to do plaquing of buildings and historical sites like we’ve done in the past, but our biggest challenge is getting a museum or another building to house our artifacts,”
The society is actively seeking funding to purchase a new site and is asking for the community’s help. The society hopes to get an older house in a residential area similar to the Hill House., but is open to other spaces as well, Perry said. The society has some savings but not enough to purchase a new site.
Right now, the society’s artifacts are being stored in an air-conditioned warehouse. There are other artifacts that the society has not been able to recover from the Hill House, Perry said.
Since the split, Perry said it has been difficult to operate without a physical museum and for so long the society was identified by the Hill House.
“That’s kind of who we were before we were the Hill House Museum. Our biggest fundraising effort was to support it and keep the doors open, and we had to have docents, which are hard to come by,” Perry said.
Perry doesn’t envision the society playing a role in Hill House in the future. He feels that trustees have gone in a completely different direction with their plans to make the house a bed and breakfast on the weekends. However, Perry said the society would like to maintain a peaceful relationship with the Hill House trustees.
“We’re trying to stay on the high side. We don’t want to cause a bunch of controversy or antagonism in the community,” he said. “The best thing is just to be peaceful and maintain the best relationship we can with them and the community.”
Membership has also become a focus for the society. Currently the society has about 166 paid members. Becoming a member is simple, Perry said, noting that the only requirements are that the member have an interest in history and pay the annual dues of $15.
“We’re not trying to get a lot of money out of them, we just want to get people to join us in supporting Lodi history,” Perry said.
In addition to looking for a place and maintaining membership, the society has several upcoming activities and programs geared towards fundraising and promoting history.
Every third Wednesday of the month from May to September, excluding December, the society holds a meeting in which they invite guest speakers to talk on a variety of topics. The meetings are held at Hutchins Street Square’s Holz Room, and are free to the public.
For decades, the society has held its annual ice cream social to raise funds and engage the community. Since the split with the Hill House the society now holds the social at 222 W. Pine St. and has renamed the event Ice Cream on Pine Street. The street will be blocked off near the Double Dip Gallery, and those attending will be able to enjoy Gunther’s ice cream and musical entertainment. They will also be able to participate in a raffle. The social is set for Saturday, Aug. 18 and is one of the biggest fundraisers of the year.
The society also has a community picnic planned for June 30 at Perry’s home on Acampo Road. The event is $6 in advance and $10 at the door. Those in attendance will be able to enjoy trip-tip, hot dogs, beans and macaroni salad and participate in a raffle.
A yard sale is planned for Friday and Saturday, July 2021, at 8 a.m. The sale will be held at Perry’s home at 1225 E. Acampo Road. The society is accepting donations for the sale including dishes, knickknacks, towels, bedding and gardening tools. No clothing or shoes will be accepted.
For more information on the Lodi Historical Society call Perry at 209-481-0384 or Janice Roth at 209-608-2778, or write the society at P.0. Box 264 Lodi, CA 95241.