Late last year I began hunting for jobs. I sent out dozens of applications in different industries, looking for something that would stick. It was in December that I began to seriously consider civil service, where I could apply my talents in historical research and museum work. What better place than the National Park Service? Well, after a long and hard fight, I managed to secure a victory. Last week marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life as a museum technician on Staten Island, New York. For the next three months, I will call the Big Apple home.
The drive, an adventure in itself
It was my longest solo drive ever. 820 miles, add in another 10 or so for wrong turns and back tracking. Some 14 hours of driving over the course of two days. Starting on the afternoon of June 30, a Thursday, I ventured onto I-90 and took it through Indiana and Ohio, until Elyria. There, I spent the night at a hotel, getting some much-needed rest. The next day I hopped onto I-80, taking me through Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Thankfully the weather was gorgeous. Clear skies and dry, temperature in the low 70s, driving conditions were ideal. What I didn’t figure into my calculations, however, was the unexpected: traffic and accidents.
I was to check in with my housing manager by 3:30 on the second day of my trip. Getting up early, I had breakfast at my hotel and heading out at 8 am, my GPS gave me an arrival time of 3:20. Right on the dot. No sweat. Well, a quick gas stop turned into half an hour, and a car fire on the road set me back a further 15 minutes. Bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-80 east of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, also did not help. At least I had wonderful views of the Poconos mountains.
And to throw fuel on the fire, the housing manager informed me that she was sick and leaving the office early. Someone else would be meeting me. A phone call from a New York number came in. Low and it behold it was my immediate supervisor, who would be setting me up with my apartment keys. Oh boy. Not the person you would want to hold up at the office late on a beautiful Friday afternoon.
Getting to New York City I quickly became acquainted with its toll plazas. It was around 4 pm. The weekend rush hour. Understandably the highways were congested with drivers eagerly wanting to get home. It was especially bad at the plazas, where perfectly straight lines gave way to a giant blob of cars, with each one fighting to get onto a ramp. It was an intimidating experience for someone new to the city. Twice I could not get through to the correct lane and traveled farther away from my destination. Before I knew it, another 20 minutes was tacked onto my journey. I called my supervisor to let her know that I was hopelessly lost but would be arriving by 5 pm.
Finally, I made it to the National Park Service administration building at Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island. After almost 9 hours of driving my legs were wobbly. I checked in, signed my lease, grabbed my keys, and immediately after, called home to let my family know that I made it just fine. For the next two days I unpacked and relaxed. Come Monday, I would need to be well rested.
On the tip of Staten Island
Fort Wadsworth sits on the northeastern point of Staten Island. A former military installation comprising historic military buildings and fortifications, its position has defended the entrance into Upper New York Bay for centuries. A British redoubt first existed at the site during the Revolutionary War, left abandoned in 1783. The American government began to build up the site in the 1790s, with one fortification after another. It served as a formidable component in the system of defenses that protected New York City.
The grounds of what became Fort Wadsworth, renamed in 1865, saw continuous military use from before the War of 1812 to 1994. Its landscape has significantly changed over the years. Formerly well-manicured lawns and embarkments have now given way to unruly vegetation and along the shoreline, sparse woods disrupt what was once a clear line of sight for gun batteries. Some of the fort’s eastern perimeter was dismantled during construction of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in the 1960s. Still, most of the original fortifications remain intact.
Last to occupy the fort militarily was the Navy. Upon the base’s decommissioning, its property, 226 acres of land, was transferred over to the National Park Service. Incorporated into the Staten Island Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area, the fort currently houses the park’s administration building. A visitors center and museum, many historic attractions, scenic trails, and great views of the city, are all free.
Park rangers conduct regular tours of the fort. Times and dates are found on the park’s website:
https://www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/calendar.htm
Although long decommissioned, the fort still has a small military presence. Within its confines is a Coast Guard station and Army Reserve center. One benefit of working for the National Park Service there is access to the Coast Guard’s galley. There is always something new and different on the menu. And a word of caution, the coffee is rather strong!
First week on the job
As for my first week at work, it went by quickly. It was all paperwork and training. As a museum technician I will be handling and helping to preserve the park’s museum collections, spread out across different storage sites. The collections include archives, archaeological artifacts, military memorabilia, and even aircraft. I and my only other coworker were given tours of some of the facilities, becoming acquainted with our workplace for the next several months. First impressions: it will be a positive experience and I will be learning much.
Exactly what does the job entail? One major duty is pest management and environmental monitoring. Twice a day, once in the morning, and once in the afternoon, I go around checking the temperature and relative humidity of each storage area, emptying out dehumidifiers. I also look for any signs of pests. Both temperature and humidity effect the health of an object. When it comes to metals, for example, too much humidity can cause rust to form. Then when a space is both hot and humid, mice and other pests find themselves the ideal home.
Photography and social media are another part of the job. Photographing museum objects and uploading those images to a database is important in maintaining a well-documented collection. Sharing them on social media also helps to raise awareness and bring life to the collections. Behind each object is a story, and some deserve to be told.
To a lesser extent, I will be answering researchers’ enquiries, retrieving information, and helping them in whatever way possible. This includes combing the collections, scanning documents and photos, and answering specific history related questions. I find this work a great pleasure so for me, I am happy to help others!
Besides these general duties, I will be also involved in specific projects. The nature of which I hope to document in the future. For now, it’s time to train and learn. There will plenty of adventures in the near future.
