Dedication
Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center
1326 South 32nd Street
Omaha, Nebraska
September 22, 1995
9:30 A.M.
On July 14, 1913, Gerald R. Ford, the only Nebraska native to become President of the United States, was born in a Hanscom Park mansion, which then stood at the corner of 32nd Street and Woolworth Avenue. In 1974 James M. Paxson purchased the Ford birthsite and developed it as a park to commemorate the thirty-eighth president. Paxson's philanthropic efforts continued when he purchased adjoining property on 32nd Street and donated funds to the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation to construct the Ford Conservation Center.
A division of the Nebraska State Historical Society, the Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center provides facilities and services for the conservation and preservation of museum artifacts, textiles, and paper, including rare books, manuscripts, and photographs. It will serve museums and libraries, as well as private clients, in Nebraska and adjoining states. The center has a public meeting hall and a permanent exhibit gallery dedicated to former President Gerald R. Ford.
Construction and operation of the Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center has been made possible through the interest of the late James M. Paxson of Omaha and his generous gifts to the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation.
| The text that appears above and below is taken from the program that was distributed at the Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center dedication ceremony, which took place on September 22, 1995. For more information on the Ford Center, please visit the Nebraska State Historical Society's official website. |
Program
| Opening Remarks & Introduction of Special Guests |
Charles E. Trimble President, Nebraska State Historical Society Board of Trustees |
| Master of Ceremonies | Senator Roman L. Hruska Director Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation |
| Welcome to Omaha | Hal Daub Mayor, City of Omaha |
| Greetings from the Capitol | E. Benjamin Nelson Governor, State of Nebraska |
| Introduction of Gerald R. Ford | Senator Roman L. Hruska |
| Remarks | Gerald R. Ford Thirty-eighth President, 1974-77 Vice President, 1973-74 House Minority Leader, 1965-73 Congressman from Michigan, 1949-73 |
| Conclusion | Senator Roman L. Hruska |
| Presentation of the Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center from the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation to the Nebraska State Historical Society |
James F. Nissen President Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation Jeanne Bishop Executive Director Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation Charles E. Trimble President Nebraska State Historical Society Lawrence J. Sommer Director Nebraska State Historical Society |
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