> -----Original Message----- > From: Joseph R Klett [mailto:joseph.klett@sos.state.nj.us] > Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 2004 4:29 PM > To: New Jersey History ListServe; GSNJ Listserve > Subject: [gsnj] Archives High and Dry and A-OK > > > Dear Friends of the State Archives: > > With the flooding of the Delaware over the weekend, I received a number > of e-mails and calls of concern about the safety of the State Archives. > While sections of Route 29 and its Memorial Drive and Market Street > exits were in fact under water, the State Archives and surrounding > buildings in the Cultural Complex, including the State House and War > Memorial, were safe. > > State Archives Collection manager Ellen Callahan, DARM Director Karl > Niederer and I were on site during the better part of Sunday to monitor > the situation. State Museum staff were also on site at their location > (the Archives, Museum and Library have a joint disaster plan). While > evacuation procedures and shelf lists were in the ready, and all > Archives staff were on call, we fortunately did not need to take these > precautions. > > As some of you know, state office buildings in downtown Trenton were > closed yesterday due to the shut-down of the Trenton water plant. Most > if not all offices were open for business today. While it was reported > that the State House was flooded, this is not the case. The lowest > level of the underground parking garage adjacent to the State House was > flooded and sustained considerable damage. It is closed for parking > today to state employees and the public, and it is our understanding > that it will continue to be closed during upcoming weeks as repairs are > made. DARM's records management staff (who, with Archives, handle > public records disaster recovery) were in contact with all state office > buildings in Trenton and municipalities along the river, Sunday through > today. No records damage has been reported, although there has > obviously been property and equipment damage. > > The State Archives and State Library resumed business as usual this > morning (the Museum is closed for renovations). However, the public is > cautioned that morning parking in and around the Cultural Complex may be > difficult during the upcoming weeks. Late afternoon and evening parking > on State Street or behind our building (i.e., for the fall lecture > series) should not be a problem. > > Thank you for your messages and expressions of concern. > > With best regards, > > Joseph R. Klett > Chief of Archives >