The Death of a Local Historian
Nov. 10th, 2014 08:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stormdogI learned today from a patron at the archives that a local historian, Bill B. died on Wednesday of last week.
Bill was one of a group of people working on restoring the Kenosha Theatre, a beautiful 1927 atmospheric movie palace here in Kenosha. He was in a position to let me, an enthusiastic amateur photographer, historian, and general fan-boy of classic theatres, into the building on several occasions for wandering, communing, and photography. Prior to when I started working in the archives, he was a frequent patron, working with both local collections and ones transferred in from Madison for him. He continued to work on and research on campus, and he and I talked frequently about his ongoing research when I happened to see him. I was very excited about the book he and a colleague have been putting together; a comprehensive history of live theatre and movie exhibition venues in Kenosha. It's a sad day when someone with great knowledge about a neglected aspect of his community and a great drive to share that knowledge is deprived of the ability to do so. I am saddened by Bill's passing; he will be missed.
Bill was one of a group of people working on restoring the Kenosha Theatre, a beautiful 1927 atmospheric movie palace here in Kenosha. He was in a position to let me, an enthusiastic amateur photographer, historian, and general fan-boy of classic theatres, into the building on several occasions for wandering, communing, and photography. Prior to when I started working in the archives, he was a frequent patron, working with both local collections and ones transferred in from Madison for him. He continued to work on and research on campus, and he and I talked frequently about his ongoing research when I happened to see him. I was very excited about the book he and a colleague have been putting together; a comprehensive history of live theatre and movie exhibition venues in Kenosha. It's a sad day when someone with great knowledge about a neglected aspect of his community and a great drive to share that knowledge is deprived of the ability to do so. I am saddened by Bill's passing; he will be missed.
