About Town: Edwin Worthen's Shrines

The Edwin B. Worthen Collection was donated to in 1976. Last week, a virtual representation of everything in the collection went online.

Boxes, folders and lantern slides were housed in in the library collecting dust – and curiosity. Everyone at the library knew they had a treasure, but weren’t sure of the collection's extent or how best to use it.

With a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and help from Anita Worthen’s estate, Reference Librarian Linda Carroll and her team sorted through the Worthen Collection and noted every article – right down to his notes and thoughts contained in his collection.  

Researchers had access to the materials, but nothing was in order and no one knew written files explaining all those pictures and bits of memorabilia were in separate folders.  

The library team put the pieces together like a 1,000-piece puzzle – which may be an understatement. Linda, who spearheaded the project, said the intent was preserving Lexington’s history and making it readily available to anyone and everyone.

They more than succeeded, although they too were awed and surprised by what they found.

“[There were] hidden treasures,” she said. “We didn’t know what we had.”

Well, they do now. And you may be surprised after visiting the website.

According to Linda and the press release, “Manuscripts, research notes, photographs, lantern slides, scrapbooks, maps, drawings, sketches, correspondence, files and memorabilia were collected by Edwin B. Worthen (1879-1956), his son, Edwin B. Worthen Jr., (1913-1976), and his daughter-in-law, Anita P. Worthen (1913-2008)."

This extensive collection chronicles the town’s beginning and historically moves through the centuries.  

Linda sat behind her computer last week in Cary Memorial's Genealogy Room writing the final report on the Worthen project. We chatted and she showed me how to use the virtual site.

Linda served as project director, but insisted on sharing the credit with two archivists and two students from Simmons College.

“We’ve been so lucky,” she said as she showed me how the virtual site works.

The team learned that Worthen did a lot of his own research, and he was precise. The library has the notes for his book, diagrams and names of people in pictures.

It sat in the library for 35 years because, Linda said, “This is not what librarians learn to do.”

Researchers could “paw through” the boxes, Linda said, but it was never catalogued. “It’s been used, but not to its fullest potential," she said.

Now, historians and researchers may use the search function on the site, find pictures and pieces of our past. From there, the curious can note of the reference number and then get to the library where they’ll find the lantern slide, picture or commemorative piece.

For example, I searched for information on past anniversary celebrations and found pictures of Lexington’s 200th incorporation. That’s great information for the 300th Committee's work.

The picture or slide descriptions were found in separate document folders, Linda said. Mrs. Grace Piper’s Kindergarten class was named only that, until they found a folder that contained a piece of paper with “Mrs. Grace Piper’s kindergarten.” Underneath, we learned that they were sitting on the steps of the Henry D. Love house and the year was 1898. Below that is a numbered diagram. Beside the diagram is a numbered list that corresponds to the diagram. So, the names of the students are there too.

“We’ve had all these pieces and no way to marry them,” Linda said.

Not only have they married the pieces, pictures and past, Linda and her team have unearthed yet another Lexington treasure.

That was her intent. “What good is it to have them if they are hidden?” she said.

I urge you to visit the virtual exhibit. See the first white tricorn hat – given to Worthen in 1954. Look at the pictures and read the corresponding descriptions that were painstakingly matched by the library team.

Yes, I could go on, but go and see for yourself.

Enjoy – and thank you to Linda and her team