Colton High yearbooks added to Colton Museum’s collection

Last week, the Colton Area Museum Association was thrilled to receive a donation of four Colton High School yearbooks (2017, 2019, 2020, 2021) to add to their highly-celebrated collection of CHS yearbooks.

“With these four yearbooks our collection is basically complete, given what has been found and available” explains Dr. G, a museum life member, and primary collector and curator of the yearbooks.

In 2012, Dr. G had become interested in the existing collection of yearbooks and set out to find as many “missing” books as possible with the goal of completing, or nearly completing, the collection. For two years, Dr. G was on the hunt and came up with about 38 books to fill in the missing gaps. Since then, about ten more yearbooks were acquired, and last week, the CAMA received four more, courtesy of Colton High School.

According to Dr. G, there were approximately 113 yearbooks published to date, and as he enthusiastically states, “We have about 106 in our collection, and will continue to keep a lookout for the remaining ones.” To be clear, once Dr. G completes his re-organizing and cataloging of the collection, he will get the word out and continue the search for the “yet to be found” yearbooks.

In the meantime, the Colton Area Museum Association can celebrate the new additions, and can proudly make known that the CHS Yearbook collection is a one-of-a-kind local asset. Mr. Mike Murphy, President of the CAMA, went on to explain, “This collection represents a huge part of Colton History.”

Dr. Frank Miranda, CJUSD Superintendent, who made the presentation last Wednesday, commented, “We are lucky to have a resource like the Colton Area Museum to spread awareness of our community’s history and preserve artifacts like these yearbooks, for the public’s education and enjoyment.”

Community residents and visitors alike are invited to visit the museum and view the entire CHS yearbook collection, and other interesting displays, in the near future. However, the CAM has not been open since the pandemic and is currently undergoing extensive renovation with the goal of opening up once again, May 7, for the Seventh Annual Colton Area Museum Day.

For more information about CITY TALK, various community groups, Colton history, the trash clean-up, prayer list, Veteran spotlight, business spotlight, U.S. “Flag Watch,” neighborhood meetings, or the online live-stream programs, text/call Dr. G @ 909–213-3730.