Found it in our Florida Archives!
Original Note with photos: "Another batch of 'stuff I didn't want to just toss so I hope someone there will be [able] to find a good use for it. ... Perhaps [the curator] can fin[d] a home for them in the archives. Added PS: "(Curator), these look like Cumberland (Istand] photos." Added PS PS: "Dropped on my desk last year... when I was in DC"
Unfortunately, the answer is No. Our previous Curator could not find a home for these prints, as they fall greatly outside of our collecting policy. Of course, the park's current curator confirmed they have originals and backups in their collection!
Florence Nightingale Carnegie was the youngest daughter of Thomas and Lucy Carnegie, and married Frederick Curtis Perkins at the Dungeness Mansion in 1901. Dungeness was commissioned by Thomas and Lucy in 1884. The mansion was built on the foundation of an earlier Dungeness owned by Nathaniel Greene. Although the mansion was mostly destroyed by a suspicious fire in 1959; remnants of the building remain on the island as part of the historic landscape.
But wait, that's Georgia, not Florida! True. Although the images were captured in Georgia, they (almost) ended up in a Florida Archive! Cumberland Island - which is only accessible via watercraft - lies across the St. Marys River, which serves as a portion of our state line.
However, it's always good practice to keep on favorable terms with your neighbors. During the Carnegies' primary ownership of the island, guests would often ship their luggage (and vendors their supplies) to Fernandina Beach, FL. These were then delivered to Cumberland Island. These coastal islands (and many more) share a rich and storied history, stretching far past the Carnegies, which includes "Frau Doktor Nancy Stafford" of the Stafford Plantation, influence of the Gullah Geechee culture, and stewardship by Timucua.
Remember, regular sweeps prevent buildup of redundant reference copies, extraneous non-records, and excessive temp/working files - generally things we want to keep OUT of the archives! "Good" archiving doesn't just happen ipso post-facto; instead, we all make micro-decisions on a daily basis that contribute to creating, retaining, or disposing of materials. Be sure to familiarize yourself with your organization's preferences (or legal requirements) regarding deaccessioning, rehoming, or destruction of materials which are not suitable to retain as part of the Official Collection. When in doubt, reaching out to others for confirmation of duplication helps maintain a healthy community of practice - it says, "hey, I thought of you!" and that makes everyone feel a little warm and fuzzy.
Submitted by: Cara DeSimone, Southeast Archaeological Center
