JOLON — “The Pat Hathaway Collection” will be the featured topic for the San Antonio Valley Historical Association Fall Lecture and Annual Dinner meeting planned for Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Historic Hacienda at Fort Hunter Liggett.
Featured speaker will be James Perry, executive director of the Monterey County Historical Society (MCHS), the organization that has been named beneficiary and custodian of what has been described as the most important image collections of its kind on the West Coast.
The late Patrick “Pat” Hathaway died suddenly in January 2021. His historic images came under the supervision of the Superior Court probate judge, who worked with co-trustees and heirs and ended up recommending the MCHS as the beneficiary.
The collection included 23 file cabinets and more than 130 banker boxes of material. Featured in this collection are more than 80,000 images dating back to the 1840s, in addition to more than 470,000 of his own digital images.
Perry has an M.A. in museum studies with an emphasis on collections management and public history. He has served the Monterey County Historical Society in various capacities since 1990 and is currently the executive director. The group has its headquarters at the Boronda Adobe in North Salinas.
Perry, who was born in Monterey County, was a personal friend to Hathaway. His talk will include information about how MCHS came to acquire the collection and future plans for it.
The public is invited to attend the annual SAVHA dinner, featuring California’s Mexican-inspired cuisine prepared by the Hacienda staff.
Advance payment is required, and reservations can be made before Nov. 1 by calling 831-385-0323 or 805-472-2780 or emailing [email protected].
The event will start at 4 p.m. with a no-host social hour, 5 p.m. for dinner and 6 p.m. for the program.
Those attending need to be aware that access to Fort Hunter Liggett requires security clearance for all passengers at the entry gate by presenting a driver’s license and proof of vehicle insurance. Guests should allow 15 to 20 minutes to enter the base, or plan ahead for a pass.
For more information on access to Fort Hunter Liggett, call 831-386-2560 or 831-386-2612.
