When KOAA News5 came to Middle Shooks Run, two of our own — Robin and Samantha — showed the city how neighbors are documenting the histories of their homes, some standing since the 1880s, and preserving the stories that make this place what it is. We’re proud of how they represented us, and grateful to reporter Liv Wood for telling the story. Catch the full segment here.
The segment is an introduction to one of our associations core pillars — Honor our Past.
We believe the history that shapes Middle Shooks Run gives meaning to the present and guides the future. These homes, these blocks, these stories aren’t just our inheritance — they’re a trust we keep for the neighbors who’ll come after us. That belief is the quiet engine behind everything our Historic Education Committee does.
The committee’s work is the hands-on craft of remembrance. It’s the interactive Historic Places Map, where any neighbor can record what they’ve uncovered about their own home. It’s the Local History Stories — Sol’s Dairy, the old Franklin Street neighborhood lost to urban renewal, the carpenters who built their own Carpenter Gothic cottages. It’s research, preservation, and the patient work of turning a deed or a faded photograph into a story worth passing on.
And that’s where you come in.
If you love digging through archives, talking with longtime residents, piecing together the history of a block, and telling a good story well — this committee was made for you. No credentials required, just curiosity and a love for this place. Whether you can give an afternoon or an ongoing commitment, there’s a role for you in keeping Middle Shooks Run’s history alive.
Ready to help honor our past? Fill out our volunteer form and select “Contribute to historic research programs” — or reach the committee directly at history@msrna.org. We’d love to hear from you.
