|
Momentum at the Marston House
September/October 2017
By Bobbie Bagel & Ann Jarmusch
 |
 Lilac Time at Marston's. Top Colored souvenir postcard, c.1950s; Bottom Press photo from Marston's marketing department. Courtesy Marston family |
The new Marston House Museum committee is happily immersed in a major new undertaking to be of lasting value and ongoing impact. We're planning and coordinating a new permanent exhibit with the working title Remembering the Marstons: The Store, The Family, The Legacy. It will open August 8, 2018, the 140th anniversary of the date in 1878 when Marston's first opened as a dry-goods store that eventually became one of Southern California's finest department stores.
Through storytelling, anecdotes, merchandise, art, and artifacts, the exhibit will feature more than a century's civic accomplishments, public-spirited vision and far-reaching philanthropy of George W. Marston, who was honored with the handle "first citizen," and his family.
The exhibit will highlight the Marston family's progressive social and political views, leadership, and legacy, as well as George Marston's business successes. The patriarch of this remarkable family helped shape San Diego as we know it today by fostering and directing the creation of Balboa Park and the two expositions held there. Marston also had the foresight to create Presidio Park (and its Serra Museum) and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
We will emphasize why George Marston is known as one of San Diego's earliest, most prominent historic preservationists and environmentalists, as well as a lifelong supporter of the arts, architecture, and landscape design. His and his family's many friends include prominent artists, architects, and musicians. Their commitment to well-educated, cultured living underscored by a strong public consciousness continues to this day, thanks to Marston's generous, civic-minded descendants.
Recent issues of Our Heritage eNews have reported on our efforts to collect merchandise and memorabilia from the store. (Read HERE and HERE.) We are also reaching out to local vintage shops looking for Marston label items.
To solicit comments from people with fond memories of shopping or working at Marston's, committee volunteers are offering to speak at local historical groups and regional retirement homes. These recollections may be incorporated into the exhibit.
Seeking financial sponsorship to cover production costs for the exhibit is another committee priority. If you would like to help sponsor the exhibit, please click HERE.
Momentum is building, and there is much work to be done. To join our effort, through your sponsorship, contribution of Marston memorabilia, or other donations, please contact us at SOHOsandiego@aol.com. We welcome your involvement in helping SOHO pay tribute to one of our region's most important families.
|
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
|
