Taking no Chances

As many local residents were busy preparing for the arrival of Tropical Storm Erin on Wednesday afternoon, members of the Brownsville Historical Association were not taking any chances with the historical items they have displayed at the Brownsville Heritage Complex.

The items, which include antique revolvers, historical paintings, and an extensive collection of books and memorabilia, were carefully packaged and taken to three protective vaults located at various locations within the city.

“We just took over two trail loads of stuff,” said Gene Balch, a BHA board member. “There was photographs, there was clothing, there was old newspapers, a whole array of things.”

Jessica Villescaz, curator of Special Collections and Archives for the association, said that the majority of the museum’s treasures were transported to two 20-foot by 20-foot vaults at the old City Hall building in Market Square. The vaults, which are two stories high, resemble those commonly found in banks. They are larger than the 12-foot by 14-foot vault inside the Brownsville Heritage Museum.

Villescaz said that in preparation of the storm, BHA implemented many aspects of its “Emergency Preparedness and Response Manual.” The plan that was developed two years ago to ensure that collections at the museum would remain long after threatening storms and disasters have passed. The 48-page manual was developed with the guidance of the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History and the McFaddin Ward House in Beaumont. The guidebook calls for museum staff and board members to clear out both the Stillman house as well as the permanent exhibitions at the museum within 72 hours of an approaching Category 1 or higher hurricane.

Priscilla Rodriguez, executive director of the BHA, said that she wrote the plan shortly after the arrival of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. She said that the hurricane caused devastation to many of the museums in the Gulf Coast area and served as a wake-up call to other museums in hurricane-prone regions.

“After Katrina, all the museums were encouraged to evaluate their disaster plans,” Rodriguez said. “We have a duty to protect (museum artifacts) because people have donated the items and we hold them in public trust.”

Villescaz said that in addition to transporting some of the museum’s most valuable items, staff at the museum secured shutters and windows and elevated items at the complex to protect them from wind and rising water. She said that if the storm is not severe, the museum plans to redisplay its exhibits “Mexican Calendar Paintings” and “ Mexican Calendar Costumes” today.