Sound Off: History is not a hobby
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, June 30, 2026
By KYLE WALKER
As our nation marks its 250th anniversary, we are reminded that every community has a story worth preserving. However, there is a persistent misconception that local history is little more than a pleasant pastime — a hobby reserved for retirees, collectors or those who enjoy dusty artifacts and old photographs. Nothing could be further from the truth. History is infrastructure.
Just as communities invest in roads, schools, parks and libraries, they must also invest in preserving the stories, places, documents and objects that explain who we are and how we arrived here. Without that foundation, communities lose more than memories; they lose identity.
Every historic building demolished without documentation, every family story that dies with a generation, every photograph left to deteriorate, and every archaeological site disturbed without study erases a chapter of our collective story. Unlike many things we can replace, history is nonrenewable. Once lost, it cannot be recreated.
Professional historical work is far more than collecting antiques or arranging exhibits. It requires research, archival management, collections care, preservation planning, archaeology, oral history, digital preservation, grant writing, education and public engagement. It demands the same standards of evidence, ethics and accountability expected in any professional field.
Communities depend on history every day, often without realizing it. City planners use historic records to guide development. Property owners rely on archival documents to understand land ownership. Tribal nations use historical evidence to preserve cultural heritage. Students learn civic identity through local stories. Businesses benefit from heritage tourism, while residents develop a stronger sense of belonging through shared experiences and traditions.
History also has the remarkable ability to evolve. New archaeological discoveries, newly accessible archives, private family collections and overlooked voices continually reshape our understanding of the past. Good historians are not simply caretakers of established narratives; they are investigators willing to ask better questions and present more complete stories. The past does not change, but our understanding of it certainly does.
This is particularly important in local communities. The most meaningful stories are often those that have never appeared in textbooks. They live in family letters, oral traditions, forgotten buildings, Indigenous knowledge, immigrant experiences and landscapes that still carry evidence of those who came before us.
Preserving these stories requires more than goodwill. It requires trained volunteers, skilled professionals, supportive boards, donors who recognize long-term value, and community members who understand that museums are educational institutions — not storage buildings.
If we believe that our children deserve to know where they came from, then history cannot remain an afterthought. Supporting historical organizations is not an act of nostalgia. It is an investment in education, community identity, economic vitality, and civic pride. It ensures that future generations inherit more than buildings and streets—they inherit the stories that give those places meaning.
History is not about living in the past. It is about giving the future a truthful foundation.
History is not a hobby. It is one of the essential public services that helps every community understand itself.
Kyle Walker is a historian and board president of the South Whidbey Center for Cultural Heritage, which includes the History Museum in Langley. Walker also serves as a board member of the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation.
