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CGAC PHOTO EXHIBIT: STONEWALL NATIONAL MUSEUM
The Cherry Grove Archives Collection is proud to announce our upcoming photography exhibition, Safe/haven: Gay Life in 1950's Cherry Grove, at the Stonewall National Museum & Archives Wilton Manors Gallery in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
The CGAC has put together a "virtual tour" of the exhibition, to share this incredible piece of LGBTQ+ history with everyone around the world.
CLICK HERE to check out the exhibit.
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HISTORY PROFILE: GEORGE FREEDLEY
George Freedley and his partner Ed Burke, had a house on Sea Walk, Cherry Grove where they summered from the late 1940's through the 1960s. George Freedley was one of the original Board members of the Arts Project of Cherry Grove (APCG).
CLICK HERE to read George's story.
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CGAC PRODUCTION FILMS RELEASE
During our recent Cherry Grove Archives Collection Film Festival we premiered our first series of short films produced to document our community history, through interviews with longtime residents and archival material.
We're pleased to make these films available online, with our new Vimeo page.
Now you can watch the CGAC Production films on your computer or smart devices.
CLICK HERE to view our selection of films.
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HISTORY PROFILE: SHARON URSO
The Cherry Grove Archives Collection committee recently received an amazing donation of photographs, letters, postcards, and documents from Sharolyn Urso. Sharolyn Urso, who worked at Pat's Bar and Restaurant in the 1940s and 1950s.
CLICK HERE to read Sharon's story.
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"CAMILLE" PLAYS AT THE WHITNEY
The drag parody "Camille", shot in Cherry Grove in 1953, was shown to a sold out crowd at the Whitney Museum Friday November 30th, 2018.
It was listed on many art sites as "top art events of the week" in NYC!
The CGAC received a canister from Grove resident Jack Davidson, not knowing that the celluloid treasure would become an instant iconic classic. Credited as being some of the earliest footage of drag performers in a full length feature (in a time when drag was still illegal), the film also stars well known artist Otto Fenn.
The Whitney was excited to screen "Camille" as a special evening presentation of the Andy Warhol Exhibit, because of Fenn's personal relationship with Warhol and their influence on queer culture through the 50's and 60's.
CLICK HERE to watch an interview with Jack Davidson about "Camille".
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CGAC RECEIVES DIGITAL GRANT
In July 2018, the Cherry Grove Archives Collection was selected to participate in the LIU Palmer School of Library and Information Science's "Digitizing Local History Sources" Grant, funded by the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation Information for Historical Societies.
Under the direction of LIU Professor Dr. Gregory Hunter, this grant provides fellowships for master's and doctoral students to conduct project activities for local LI historical societies and archives, including the digitizing of materials, either on-site or at scanning facilities located on the LIU campus in Greenvale, NY.
CGAC is fortunate to have the cost of scanning a portion of our Archives memorabilia covered by this grant and to benefit from Dr. Hunter's expertise in organizing the metadata associated with these scans. Newly scanned images will be uploaded to the storage site Preservica, the fees for which will be covered by the Gardiner Grant until at least 2022.
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CGAC FILM FESTIVAL
The Cherry Grove Archives Collection Film Festival (CGACFF) is a cinematic celebration of Cherry Grove's proud 170-year history.
While this event is a vital fundraiser for the Archives' operating and digitizing costs, our goal is to bring people together to both educate and celebrate.
Our beautiful beach community has supported and nurtured LGBTQ artists, performers and musicians since it began, which is why we are dedicated to presenting films that bring history to life. It's vital that we don't forget our past, and by taking a look back at where we've come from, we may have a better vision of the future. The festival is our way of sharing the archival films, current documentaries and experimental works that reflect Cherry Grove from our extraordinary past to our colorful present.
The Cherry Grove Archives Committee (CGAC) has diligently been preserving everything from 8 millimeter films to family albums- all donated by members of the community who have graciously decided to share their lives and experiences.
CGACFF (hosted every two years) is a collection of documentaries, short films and restored masterpieces that were filmed on Fire Island. By preserving memorabilia and artifacts from the Grove's amazing history, we are able to select pieces that are both educational and exciting. A gay community that is covered in camp, Cherry Grove has its roots deep in activism and equality.
Through our festival we also seek to showcase works from queer communities around the globe. We hope to present everything from films about beach life to activism, individuality and the pursuit of equality.
CLICK HERE to visit www.CGACFF.com for more details.
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POST OFFICE PAINTING
There are many aspects to archiving the history of Cherry Grove, and the CGAC hopes we not only capture the life of the Grove, we also aim to contribute.
To start off the season, several Committee members funded a revitalization of a landmark in our town, the Cherry Grove postoffice. With a fresh paint job and a new sign, its a wonderful way to greet everyone as they arrive off the ferry.
Taking time to preserve our history is the best way to keep our community strong and continue the legacy of those who worked so hard to make the Grove wonderful.
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CGAC WEBSITE LAUNCH
In our mission to share the CGAC material with the world, we've launched a website to showcase the rich history of our community.
We hope to educate and entertain our viewers with the photos, home videos and films that the Archive has collected and preserved. With the kind donations of Grove residents, we strive to Save the Past and Make it Last.
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