Relocation turns up historical documents

A document signed by Washington and Jefferson was found in a cabinet.
MARIETTA -- Packing up some 50,000 books and 100 pieces of artwork for temporary storage in anticipation of the construction of a new library at Marietta College led to the rediscovery of some important historical documents.
The task included photographing every piece of artwork and cataloging every book from the college's Special Collections, which led to an exceptional find: two Ohio Company purchase deeds bearing the signatures of both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
Washington was President and Jefferson was his Secretary of State at the time they signed.
"We knew we might have these documents, but we also thought there was a chance they could be with another library or museum," said Linda Showalter, Special Collections associate for Marietta. "We found them at the bottom of a cabinet. They need some restoration work, but it's just a great find and we are very excited about it."
Records of the Ohio Company of Associates, a collection that forms a part of the Slack Research Collections, has yet another document with signatures of Washington and Jefferson.
Marietta College's Special Collections are being relocated in advance of the May 2007 razing of Dawes Memorial Library and the start of construction on a new library and learning center. The new building, which puts academic pursuits at the center of the campus, will open in January 2009.
The library project was made possible by the generosity of Class of 1968 classmates Laura Baudo Sillerman and Robert Dyson, who combined on a 10 million donation ( 5 million each) in October 2005.
The Special Collections materials are bound for temporary storage in Massachusetts and will return to the college before the new library's opening in January 2009.
Since Dawes opened in 1961, collections of rare and historical books and manuscripts, as well as the College Archives, have been housed in the Special Collections area on the library's second floor.