You can play a role in preserving Jacksonville’s history.
Since 1929, the Jacksonville Historical Society has been collecting books, manuscripts, maps, newspapers, photographs, architectural drawings, and artifacts that are significant to our cultural and historic heritage. In this on-going activity, thousands of items related to city history, including many rare items that otherwise would be lost on the trash heaps of history or through neglect are sought, collected, stabilized, and cataloged with the goal of digitization in museum software for public use. This program relies heavily on donated items requiring on-going collaborative efforts. Society staff processes the collections using industry standards and archival storage materials.
Donations from individuals, families, and organizations form the core of JHS’s collections, and we are grateful to be acknowledged as a secure and trustworthy repository for housing and caring for the story of our city. We encourage you to consider donating your historical materials to JHS where they will be preserved so they can inform and inspire future generations.
To donate an object, please contact the museum at 904.665.0064 or email archives@jaxhistory.org. Plan to describe the object in detail and leave a detailed message so we may best determine whether the object meets the Society’s collecting criteria.
Criteria for evaluating the object for acceptance into the collection include the following considerations:
- Was the object made or used in Jacksonville?
- What is the object’s historical significance?
- Can documentation (written or oral) on the object be found?
- Does the object need conservation work?
- Does the object support the existing collection?
- Is the object a duplicate?
- What is the object’s exhibit potential?
- What impact would the object have on available storage space?
If the object is accepted, you will be asked to complete a deed of gift form. This legal document certifies that the object is yours to donate and that you agree to assign all rights associated with the object to the museum. When the deed of gift is completed, the object becomes part of the collection of the Jacksonville Historical Society.
Is my donation tax deductible?
Yes. You can use the signed deed of gift as an acknowledgment of your donation to the Jacksonville Historical Society. (The museum does not provide appraisals, however, or provide estimated values.) The IRS requires that you include Form 8283—available from your accountant or the IRS—with your tax return if you determine (or an appraiser determines) that the value of your contribution is more than $500.
