HISTORIC FOURTH WARD SCHOOL ARCHIVES AND RESEARCH CENTER
The Historic Fourth Ward School connects people to the relevance and importance of the Comstock story through its authentic preservation, interactive exhibitions, interpretive programs, and archival research. The current collections and records held in the school document life on the Comstock from 1875 to current day. The collection includes photographs; correspondence; newspapers; memorabilia; artifacts; maps; books; school registers; oral histories from local residents; mining documents; and the Gold Hill Virginia City Water System collection; and genealogical information significant to the Fourth Ward School, life on the Comstock, and their relationship to the nation.
ARCHIVE ACCESS
Access to the archives is restricted to staff and qualified volunteers until the collection is searchable online and the public room completed. You may make an appointment for assistance in obtaining information from our archives. All materials must remain at the Fourth Ward School. Copies of most items are available.
REQUESTING INFORMATION
The Historic Fourth Ward School Museum (HFWSM) welcomes inquires regarding Comstock history and former students , teachers or principals. However, as a not-for-profit, small museum, the archives and research center charges a fee for inquiries that require response by phone, e-mail, mail or fax. Please be as specific as possible about what you want to find including names. dates, and locations. Indicate any particular interest such as photographs, maps, manuscripts. If you have already conducted any research, list the sources you have investigated.
Requests are answered in the ordered received. Please allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery. Remember to include your name, address, phone number, fax number and/or email with each request.
RESEARCH FEES
Research requests and assistance is $50.00 per hour, with a minimum charge of $30.00. Inquiries requiring only a nominal assistance may be free of charge depending on the time required of the staff and volunteer research associates to respond to the request. Please call if you think you have a simple request.
Payment is required in advance with your request for the minimum fee of $30. Please send a check or credit card information. When your request has been evaluated, you will be contacted to discuss the extent of research required, our ability to fulfill your request, expected number of hours to gather materials, and estimated expense commensurate with the amount of work required. We make no guarantees that we will find the information being requested, especially for elementary school students prior to 1910.
Fees are used to fund the operation of the archives including staff, supplies, and future acquisitions of research materials. We depend on public generosity to assist us in maintaining the archival collection and making it available for research.
MEMBER DISCOUNT
Members receive a 10% discount on research requests and all associated fees.
PHOTOCOPYING FEES
Photocopying damages original documents physically and chemically. Therefore, photocopying is at the discretion of the archivist and performed by staff only. Some materials may not be copied due to their condition, age, size, binding, or legal restrictions. Self copying, scanning, or photographing of materials is not allowed. Entire works, collections, oral history transcripts, etc. will not be photocopied.
Black and White
$0.50 per page for photos, manuscripts, and oral histories $0.25 per page for photocopies of copies Postage plus a minimum of $1.50 in handling fees is added to all orders mailed in the US. Additional charges will be added for bulky orders, express or international delivery.
PHOTOGRAPH DUPLICATION FEES
The Museum does have the bulk of its photographs digitized. These digital records are used as finding aids and are not of a high resolution but for many purposes, they are just fine. These digital images will be printed on photo paper, with a watermark credit line to identify the image as belonging to the Museum. The fee for these is $5.00 per image. The $50.00 per hour research fee will apply if staff must conduct a photo search.
PUBLICATION FEE
There is a publication/video fee of $20.00 (North American publication), $30.00 (world wide publication) per picture or image used from the HFWSM archival collection. This applies if the image is for use in any book, pamphlet, poster, film, slide presentation, exhibit, and/or any other form of publication This fee is a one-time use only. All HFWSM property and materials are copyrighted for the Museum’s use. Any other public use for profit must be discussed with the Museum’s Board of Directors. Use of any image requires that credit be given to the Historic Fourth Ward School Museum unless otherwise specified.
DONATION OF MATERIALS
The Museum encourages donations. Items must be relevant to the Fourth Ward School, education on the Comstock, and the history of the Comstock. The determination of items to be added to the collections is the responsibility of the Board of Directors.
