Merriman takes shot at preserving history
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Of course, for this to happen, you have to have someone who recognizes its importance, no matter how insignificant it might appear, and is willing to pass it along to those who have the facilities to display it for the public to view.
That?s where the Heritage Alliance Center and Southern School of Photography Museum comes in. The museum, which officially opened this year next to Regions Bank on E. Main Street, features literally thousands of items donated by individuals, organizations and businesses over the years Heritage Alliance has been in existence.
In fact, the museum has recently been gifted with several fascinating artifacts, including an old photograph of a Warren County girls basketball team discovered in the back of Grizzell?s Jewelry by owner Luther Merriman.
Merriman purchased the business, located on East Main Street, from Sam Cordell about four years ago, and discovered the photo while cleaning out a back room. The picture is quite large, 32-by-42 inches, and is rendered on canvas.
Merriman said he felt at the time the photo was interesting and should be preserved. Eventually he contacted Heritage Alliance president Jimmy Haley and offered to donate the photo to the museum.
?Obviously the museum can make better use of it than I can,? Merriman said. ?So I just felt that was the thing to do.?
The provenance of the photo is sketchy, since no one knows exactly where it came from. A former employee of Cordell said she remembered someone bringing it in hoping Cordell could identify some of the basketball players, but they never came back to retrieve it. As it turned out, Cordell didn?t know any of the players either and simply put the picture in a back room where it remained until Merriman discovered it.
Haley said he was pleased the local businessman decided to donate the photo, which is in excellent condition, to the museum, noting he plans to set up a display of local sports memorabilia and would like to include the photo.
?I love old sports pictures,? Haley said. ?They capture a piece of the past and are a reflection upon who we are and where we?ve come from.
?I thought this would fit in pretty well,? Haley added. ?But I haven?t had time to research it. This may be the only remaining photograph of this basketball team, so I think it?s important to preserve it.?
Haley feels the photo is probably circa late 1930s, considering the uniforms, which are quite different than those pictured in 1940s era high school annuals the museum has. He hopes when the photo is published, someone will come forward with some information.
?Maybe we can identify some of the people in it,? Haley said. ?Find out who they are, maybe contact some folks, and put it on display somewhere so people can enjoy it.?
If anyone recognizes any of the players or has any information on the photo, please contact the Southern Standard or the museum. Haley said the picture will be on display anytime the museum is open for anyone who would like to come by and view it.