City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: JANUARY 6, 2026 FROM: MUSEUM DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL SUBJECT: APPROVE ACCESSION INTO THE PERMANENT COLLECTION OF FIVE (5) LOTS OF HISTORIC AND ARCHIVAL ITEMS ISSUE:
Approve accession into the permanent collection of:
Lot 1: one (1) set of eight (8) sterling silver knives from a private donor; Lot 2: one (1) item of sheet music from a private donor; Lot 3: six (6) commemorative flags via interdepartmental transfer; Lot 4: twenty-four (24) black-and-white photographs by photograph Philip Adam and one (1) pencil sketch by artist Robert Herlitz from the photographer Philip Adam; and Lot 5: thirty-seven (37) color photographs, two (2) Riverside Junior College year booklets, two (2) Koala yearbooks from Polytechnic High School, and one (1) Riverside Polytechnic High School reunion souvenir booklet from a private donor.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council approve accession into the permanent collection of:
Lot 1: one (1) set of eight (8) sterling silver knives from a private donor; Lot 2: one (1) item of sheet music from a private donor; Lot 3: six (6) commemorative flags via interdepartmental transfer; Lot 4: twenty-four (24) black-and-white photographs by photograph Philip Adam and one (1) pencil sketch by artist Robert Herlitz from the photographer Philip Adam; and Lot 5: thirty-seven (37) color photographs, two (2) Riverside Junior College year booklets, two (2) Koala yearbooks from Polytechnic High School, and one (1) Riverside Polytechnic High School reunion souvenir booklet from a local donor.
BOARD RECOMMENDATION:
At a meeting on December 14, 2016, then Metropolitan Museum Board, with seven (7) members present for this vote and two (2) absent, approved a recommendation to accession into the permanent collection one (1) set of eight (8) sterling silver knives from a private donor.
At a meeting on March 26, 2025, the Museum of Riverside Board, with seven (7) members present for this vote and two (2) absent, unanimously voted to recommend that City Council approve accession into the permanent collection of one (1) item of sheet music from a private donor.
At a meeting on March 26, 2025, the Museum of Riverside Board, with seven (7) members present for this vote and two (2) absent, unanimously voted to recommend that City Council approve accession into the permanent collection of six (6) commemorative flags, acquired via interdepartmental transfer.
At a meeting on October 22, 2025, the Museum of Riverside Board, with eight (8) members present for this vote and one (1) seat vacant, unanimously voted to recommend that City Council approve accession into the permanent collection of twenty-four (24) black-and-white photographs by photograph Philip Adam and one (1) pencil sketch by artist Robert Herlitz, donated by photographer Philip Adam.
At a meeting on October 22, 2025, the Museum of Riverside Board, with eight (8) members present for this vote and one (1) seat vacant, unanimously voted to recommend that City Council approve accession into the permanent collection of thirty-seven (37) color photographs, two (2) Riverside Junior College year booklets, two (2) Koala yearbooks from Polytechnic High School, and one (1) Riverside Polytechnic High School reunion souvenir booklet from a local donor.
BACKGROUND:
LOT 1 (STERLING KNIVES):
A record search indicated that an accession recommendation approved by the Museum Board on December 14, 2016, did not subsequently come before Council. The recommendation is forwarded in the current report to complete the approval process to include one (1) set of eight (8) sterling silver knives from a private donor in the permanent collection. These items are currently on exhibit in the dining room at Heritage House. The knives complete a set of flatware that had been donated years earlier but that did not include knives. The knives are not hallmarked but are monogrammed with the initial B.
LOT 2 (SHEET MUSIC):
The sheet music is for the song “A Perfect Day,” composed by Carrie Jacobs-Bond, notable singer, songwriter, and pianist of the 1890s–1940s. Bond wrote “A Perfect Day” while staying at the Mission Inn in Riverside in 1909. The song was played on the carillon (bell tower) at the Mission Inn at dusk each evening for visitors to enjoy. Additionally, Bond has a room named after her at the Mission Inn (Room 417) in the hotel’s famed “Authors’ Row” on the top floor of its Spanish Wing.
LOT 3: (FLAGS):
With City Council approval, a series of commemorative flags was raised at City Hall as follows to recognize nationally established moments recognizing segments of the population:
Juneteenth – 19 June 2023
LGBTQ+ Pride Month – 1–30 June 2023
International Holocaust Remembrance Day – 26 January 2024 (raised) Black History Month – 1-29 February 2024
Women’s Suffrage Victory – 1-29 March 2024
Disabilities Pride Month – 1-31 July 2024
City Council adopted resolution 23947 on January 17, 2023, establishing a flag policy and the limitations under which commemorative flags would be flown at City Hall. Following this, the City flew six flags recognizing a range of historic dates and categories of people. On September 17, 2024, City Council repealed the resolution and returned to the previous policy of flying only the U.S. flag, the California flag, and the City of Riverside flag.
Juneteenth LGBTQ+
Holocaust Remembrance Black History Month
Women’s suffrage Disabilities Pride Month
LOT 4 (PHILIP ADAMS PHOTOGRAPHS):
The photographs were taken by photographer Philip Adam who lived in Riverside in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He worked at UCR in the Department of Photographic Services. One of the many subjects he photographed during this period was the redevelopment of Main Street. He had an exhibition at the then-named Riverside Municipal Museum during this time. His photographs are held by other organizations, such as UC Berkeley, UC Davis, the Vacaville Museum, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Riverside Redevelopment, Main Street, B of A, 1979
Mission Inn, 1980
American Fruit Growers Inc., 1979
LOT 5 (RIVERSIDE JUNIOR COLLEGE, POLYTECHNIC HIGH SCHOOL OBJECTS):
These materials were once owned by Doyle Merle Fraley (1922-January 13, 2004) and Wanda née Brooks Fraley (1930-November 10, 2024). Mr. Fraley was a coach for the Riverside Jaycees’ little league team, the Cubs, from at least 1974-1979. Wanda was the team mom. The team photos were taken at the Wheelock field, which was once owned by RCC and is now a three-story parking structure. They both attended Riverside Polytechnic Highschool, Merle graduating in 1941 and Wanda in 1949. Both Merle and Wanda moved to Riverside when very young.
The Museum’s mid-20th-century collections are sparse, and this collection would assist in filling that gap. The material comprises a glimpse into the leisure activities of young Riversiders and reveals how community members contributed by volunteering as coaches and caretakers for young sports teams. The yearbooks document young adult life in the middle and post-World War II period with a focus on the activities of two long-time residents.
Wanda Brooks, 1949 Signature in Merle Fraley’s yearbook, 1940 Souvenir, Poly High reunion 1941-1981 1976 Tournament photo 1976 team photo 1974 team photo
DISCUSSION:
To “accession” an object is the process of including it formally in a museum’s permanent collection, which is the category of collection for which the greatest effort will be made to preserve the object in perpetuity and document it fully.
These items support collecting targets identified in the Museum’s Collections Development Plan, including acquisition of period-appropriate objects to enhance Heritage House, and acquisition of historic and archival objects that fill out key local stories (such as the history of the Mission Inn) and build the portions of the collection that relate to recent and local history. The plan notes that “Through its collections, the Museum will week to broaden the inquiry into the ways in which material culture defines a shared understanding of history, place, and identity.” FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
Prepared by: Robyn G. Peterson, Museum Director
Reviewed by: Ann Lovell, Manager of Operations
Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments: 20161214.Museum board meeting minutes 20250325.Museum board meeting minutes
20251022.Museum board meeting minutes, DRAFT
Accession historic and archival objects into Museum collection ● Page 2