Lutheran Archives Center at Philadelphia

Quick tip the day: If you are wondering WHAT your congregation should be preserving here is one way to look at it: You want to keep records that are UNIQUE and tell the STORY of your congregation. Got questions? Drop them below!

Do you ever wonder what an archivist does all day? The short answer is: a lot! Here are just a few of the tasks that archivists and their assistants do on a daily basis: -work with donors and institutions to receive new collections -organizing and rehousing collections (also known as processing)... -inventorying and cataloging collections -writing finding aids -assisting researchers via email, phone, and in-person (when it's safe to do so!) -digitization projects And much more! Below archives assistants Danielle and Courtney are working on separate processing and cataloging projects.

Can you help us solve a mystery? Do you know what building is depicted in this painting? Comment down below to help us catalog this unidentified painting, just in time for the spooky season! Historic Germantown Historic Architecture in West Philadelphia: 1789-1930s

Quick tip of the day: Electronic copies of your congregation’s register, constitution, charter, articles of incorporation, by-laws, deeds, insurance, mortgages, and membership information should be stored on an external hard drive or shared network drive such as OneDrive or Google Drive. Also remember to back everything up on a regular basis so they don't get lost!

Friday Finds in the Vault: This pewter chalice, baptismal laver, and baptismal bowl are dated 1793 and came to us from Zion Lutheran Church in Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County, PA. Although this congregation is now closed, its brick church--built in 1851--still stands. It was partly demolished in 1974 by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers but was ultimately rescued and restored. Today it houses the Office of Preservation and Design of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Learn more at: https://www.middlesmithfieldtownship.com/township-history/