Orange County Historical Museum invites residents to document county ‘in bloom’

Spring is officially here, and the Orange County Historical Museum wants to capture it for future generations.

The museum is hosting “Orange County in Bloom 2013” — an opportunity for residents to submit their photos of springtime for display at the museum.

Executive Director Brandie Fields said the purpose of the event is to serve as a documentary of the area in springtime.

“In the future, I am hoping to provide something for people to look back and see what it is like,” Fields said.

“That is one of the most fun parts of our collection — seeing the images and seeing how things looked 50 years ago.”

She said she hopes the project will capture nature as it currently exists.

“I’ve heard of expanding downtowns and some of that nature may not exist in 25 or 50 years,” she said.

Fields said there have not been any submission yet.

Scott Washington, assistant director of the museum, said Orange County residents will be able to submit photographs throughout April, with the exhibit beginning May 3.

“History is recorded in many different ways,” he said.

“We are fortunate to have the records people have left us, but people 100 years from now will be grateful for taking a month-long snapshot of nature as it comes into bloom.”

Becky Johnson, a volunteer at the museum, said she will be submitting her photographs of spring in Orange County.

“It seems like every day there is something else coming up to bloom,” she said. “What I try to do is take some of the beautiful trees that are just coming out now, like the dogwoods and redbuds.”

Washington said the event will be more than just a record of springtime in the area.

“There is something symbolic to remind us that sometimes we can go through winters in our lives (and still) come into springtime,” he said.

Contact the desk editor at arts@dailytarheel.com.