Dumpster Diving

This month I want to relate a little story of archival salvation. It was a normal day of processing and describing when I received a phone call from Peabody General Contactor’s Inc. in Austin, TX. What can I do to help contractors in Texas? As it turned out, they would help me.  In the dumpster behind their office someone had tossed garbage bags of stuff, along with old, broken furniture.  When the employees took a closer look they noticed old photographs and letter from Sunflower and Indianola, MS.  These materials dated from the late 1920’s to the 1970’s.  Now, these wonderful people could have just said, huh, and walked away, but no. They researched Sunflower County, found the Sunflower County History Room and Archive and called me to ask if I wanted the materials.  Of course I said yes, and that the library system would reimburse them for shipping. Less than two weeks later, I had a stinky box of letters, photos and miscellaneous paperwork, and they refused the reimbursement!  So, just a quick tale of discovery, recovery and a reminder to everyone that one person’s trash is a whole county’s treasure! 

The materials belonged to Mattie Mae Thomas.  She lived in Sunflower and Indianola, MS with her father Tillman T. Thomas. She had three brothers, Earl, Charles and Billy Thomas; all graduated from Indianola High School and became reputable community members in Mississippi and Tennessee.

Below are some of the images found in a photo album created by Mattie Mae Thomas in 1929. She was 15 years old. The photos were taken from the Kodak camera she received for that Christmas.  

Enjoy!