It is an understatement to say that we are living in historic times. I recognize that the arrival of the COVID-19 outbreak in our backyard has disrupted everyday life and caused a great deal of uncertainty. I’m writing to let you know that the Issaquah History Museums and their offices are currently closed until the end of April, with all activities in that time period postponed indefinitely. Staff will be working from home as they are able. We will continue to track local response to the pandemic and will continue to adjust our schedule accordingly. Our website and Facebook page are the best places to keep up with current information.
As we cope with the impacts of a global pandemic, I want to encourage you to draw some comfort from the fact that we have been here before. All of us are the descendants of those who survived the trials, travails, and illnesses of the past. An upcoming blog post will outline the impact of the Influenza Pandemic of 1918-1919 on Issaquah’s residents. We’ll also be highlighting some of the artifacts in our collection that document the 1918-19 epidemic on both social media and our blog. If you’re really curious, you can dig into the Issaquah Press archives for 1918 and 1919 and investigate on your own.
In addition to drawing comfort and information from the primary documents available to us, it’s also a great time to create our own records. Humanities Washington has begun a series of “Cabin Fever Questions” — writing prompts designed to build community through recording thoughts and observations. Drawing inspiration from them, the Issaquah History Museums has developed a Pandemic Memory Book, which will be available soon. Anyone can complete the memory book, which contains writing prompts that will help you reflect on and write about your current experience. We also encourage you to share the finished document with the Issaquah History Museums, so that we can include your experience in our documentation of this historic event. If you’re particularly inspired, and you don’t already keep a journal, I encourage you to start keeping a journal. It will give you a place to focus your thoughts, and create a historic record of the event from your perspective.
Author: DIA ED
Historically Hip Downtown