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Orinda Historical Society outlines programs, grants and fortieth‑anniversary plans
Summary
The Orinda Historical Society reported on outreach, digitization work and plans to support the city’s fortieth‑anniversary celebrations, including displays, oral‑history recording and refreshed museum hours.
The Orinda Historical Society presented an update to the City Council on June 17 outlining volunteer‑run programs, recent grants, and preparations for Orinda’s upcoming fortieth anniversary.
Allison Burns, president of the Orinda Historical Society, told the council the society has shrunk to a small volunteer board but has increased activity since the COVID‑19 lockdowns, resuming school tours, reunions and community events. She said society volunteers lead third‑grade downtown walks for Glorietta Elementary School and support school reunions by producing archival materials and newsletters.
Burns described recent digitization work supported by grants from California Revealed, noting Orinda Sun newspapers from the mid‑1940s through the early 1970s are now online. She said the society received grants for recording equipment and scanning software to expand oral‑history work and move more archival material online at orindahistory.org.
The society has reduced public hours to Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. because of volunteer limits but staff will make appointments for other times. Burns said volunteers are planning displays and materials for the city’s fortieth‑anniversary ice‑cream social and hope to refresh the small city‑owned train station with period‑appropriate artifacts.
Council members thanked Burns and the society’s volunteers for their work and congratulated them on grant success. The council liaison and city staff said they will continue to support the society with personnel and facilities assistance when requested.
No formal council action was required on the report.
