Meteorological Records

The museum currently possesses 100 years worth of meteorological record books from the weather bureau’s time in Sioux City. These books are heavy, very large, and not super relevant to our museum besides the fact the station was at the airport for a while. When I started my internship they were stacked on a large table in what would become the research library. I took a look at them and first contacted the National Archives to see if they would be interested in acquiring the records because I knew we didn’t need them nor could we take care of them here. While they were not interested, they referred me to the Library of Congress. I didn’t receive any further information from them on their interest so I looked into other options. I contacted the National Weather Museum in Norman, Oklahoma — the only weather museum in the country. They contacted their librarian who was very interested in acquiring the records! (Meanwhile the Library of Congress wanted more information but I haven’t head back since sending pictures to them.)

I informed my supervisor about the possibility of donation to the National Weather Center Library and he was open to the idea after we sent out a press release in Sioux City to give the community an opportunity to see them before potential donation. We set up the books to take pictures of them and I also created a few framed displays of newspaper clippings that had been stuck in the books. These will stay at the museum after the records are gone to preserve the importance of Sioux City in weather history and tell the story of our city’s station. On my last day as an intern, I attended the board meeting to ask for approval on the permanent donation of the weather records. I presented my case — they would be better taken care of and more suited to the museum topic — and the board agreed it was the best idea to donate them. I felt proud to have reached out to places for donation, followed through, and gotten the board’s vote. Now we are waiting for press coverage and community farewells before figuring out the best way to send them off to Norman, Oklahoma.