The history room in Washington’s George H. & Laura E. Brown Library has long been a favorite spot for local researchers to gather information about the past.

Now, Claudia Dahlen is working diligently to keep up that reputation while also bringing the room into the 21st century.

“Things were done in the past, but the ways it’s done have changed,” said Dahlen, a former library assistant who was recently promoted to reference specialist/genealogy librarian. “Things need to be cataloged and digitized. There’s a lot to be done. … It’s been started. We have wonderful treasures in this room.”

Not all those treasures are on public display all the time, however.

Dahlen showed off a pair of gauntlets, or gloves, once worn into battle by Col. John C. Lamb, who was with the Confederate Army’s 17th Regiment of North Carolina during the Civil War. Because of their age, the gauntlets are only brought out on special occasions.

Lamb’s gauntlets became part of Brown Library’s permanent collection through the generosity of the estate of the late Elizabeth “Bee” Fowle Morton. The estate also provided access to shipping documents, including ledgers and daybooks, from the Fowle shipping family of Washington.

The library already had tucked away similar materials from the Havens and Myers families, according to Dahlen.

Brown Library has become a valuable repository of local history.

“A lot of the old families are bringing us stuff now and asking that it be preserved,” Dahlen said. “We always welcome personal, private collections of papers to preserve the history of our town.”

Along with cataloging and preserving artifacts, Dahlen prepares revolving exhibits showcasing Washington and Beaufort County history. A display case, at any given time, has offered library patrons a close-up look at the history of the library itself, as well as scrapbooks from World War II, memorabilia from local festivals, postcards and photographs.

When the Historic Port of Washington Museum closed earlier this year, the library stepped up and offered facilities to house the museum’s collections. Library staff and museum volunteers are hoping to offer history programs as a joint effort, according to Dahlen.

A history major in college, Dahlen is finding her duties at the library to be the perfect job for her. She is also enjoying sharing her interest in local history with library patrons and researchers.

“We have such a rich history here,” she said. “Washington is a wonderful little city, and we need to keep it alive.”