Preserve before interpreting
Create stable scans, retain original filenames and write down the chain of custody before trying to tell a larger story. Basic preservation prevents later interpretation from floating free of the item.
Prioritize provenance
A photograph, name board or document gains value when its source, date, owner and condition are recorded. Uncertainty is useful metadata when it is stated plainly.
Publish a route, not a promise
A preservation page can invite corrections or new evidence without pretending to run a museum, own an artifact or hold a complete collection. The next useful action is usually small: scan, cite, compare, ask permission.
Source note. This page separates documented history, archival observation and editorial explanation. Where a source does not establish a detail, the detail is left open.