Past Grantees - Community History
Funding from the Schwemm Family Foundation supported the preservation and restoration of two rare 1864 oil paintings by Solomon Carvalho, among the oldest surviving works of their kind in California. Displayed for more than a century, the paintings had sustained significant flood, fire, and preservation-related damage and were in critical condition. The museum engaged Fine Arts Conservation Laboratories, Inc. to complete a full restoration, addressing structural damage and restoring original color and detail. The conserved works now reveal previously obscured textures and imagery, preserving an important visual record of early California history. With more than 10,000 annual visitors—including 5,000 schoolchildren—the restored paintings will continue to serve as a vital educational and cultural resource for generations to come.
The Foundation supported the launch of “Roots and Branches: A Tree’s View of Santa Monica,” an exhibition commemorating the Santa Monica’s 150th anniversary. The display delved into the intricate relationships between trees, urban development, and Santa Monica’s cultural and environmental history, highlighting how nature and humanity have coexisted—and occasionally conflicted—over the centuries.
This project supported the La Jolla Historical Society’s initiative to strengthen collections stewardship through the comprehensive cataloging and digitization of over 170 3D objects and paintings. The work involved researching, cataloging, photographing, condition-reporting, and making the objects accessible to the public, via their website.
This project funded the digitization of nearly 400 oral histories which the museum had started collecting during the 1950’s. They tell the story of Ventura County from the late 1800’s through the present. The transcribed histories are summarized and searchable by keyword and freely accessed via their website. Important topics include the development of medicine in the county, the St Francis Dam disaster of 1928, the evolution of agriculture, the experiences of minority residents, and the history of the petroleum industry.
The Foundation’s funding helped the Museum of Ventura County research, create and disseminate a scholarly journal, titled Bootleggers, Rumrunners, and Blind-Piggers: Prohibition in Ventura County. The Journal tells the story of the impact of Prohibition on Ventura County residents. The journal complemented the Museum’s major history exhibit All That Glitters is not Gold, which grew out of the same historical research into the county’s history during the 1920’s.
Eugene Debbs Potts Foundation: Pottsville is home to thousands of items commemorating Oregon's history, and the Eugene Debbs Potts Foundation is dedicated to preserving and making improvements to the historical Pottsville pioneer town and museum. The Schwemm Family Foundation supported the purchase and installation of 43 all-weather historical signs for the EDPF’s outdoor and indoor displays. These historical informational signs provide visitors with the opportunity to "take a walk through history" and learn about the fascinating history of Pottsville.
Preserving historic films is critical for the long-term protection of historical documentation. The SFF supported the Museum of Ventura County in their efforts to digitize the film archive of Herman Keene, a Ventura County landowner who documented backcountry life and in particular the abundant wildlife resources present in the early part of the last century. These films are now available to the public on the museum website.
The Takelma people lived in the Rogue Valley of southern Oregon when they were met by Euroamericans in the mid-1850s and mostly sent to reservations. The SFF helped fund the production of a beautifully-illustrated book entitled “Upriver to Morning”, written by Tish McFadden and based on the teachings of Takelma elder Agnes Baker Pilgrim. The project also included an audiobook, songs, and curriculum content.
Fort Umpqua, near Elkton, Oregon, was the southernmost site established by the Hudson’s Bay Company around 1832. The current buildings are replicas constructed by volunteers from original designs, and volunteers provide many tours and participate in living history demonstrations. The SFF has partnered with the Elkton Community Education Center to create new signs and develop additional walking path and interpretive materials.