In Honor of Women's History Month, the Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program will be highlighting some of the diverse contributions of women in the Fisheries Program workforce.
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Randi Sue Smith, Curator, D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery and Archives, Spearfish, SD
Here’s HERstory:
Randi Smith would be the first to tell you that knowing the present-day means knowing history. So then, here is some historical context about Smith’s place of employment: D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery and Archives.
The hatchery had its genesis in 1899 as the Spearfish Fish Cultural Station under the U.S. Fish Commission. Time wrought changes—in name and in conservation mission. Spearfish National Fish Hatchery closed in 1983 to rise like a phoenix in 1989. Enter Randi Sue Smith, owner of a history degree from the University of California – Davis to do something for history – preserve it. Spearfish National Fish Hatchery mutated in mission from fish production to genetics and diet research and a training facility into its current charge expressed in its new name.
It’s the “Archives” where Randi makes her mark. The facility holds some 175,000 objects and documents from all over the country, all dealing with fisheries conservation. And all that important historical matter needs a curator.
In 1992, she made the move to D.C. Booth National Fish Hatchery and Archives to take over the growing collection. She would have much to do. “Bigger museums have specialized workers; one who receives items; one to catalog; and one to exhibit—I do it all,” exclaimed Randi. “I love the variety.” Smith clearly has ownership in her work. She’s handled most of the collection over the last 21 years.
“I like old stuff—how things used to be done, how things worked,” said Randi. She co-authored a book about the historic facility. Spearfish National Fish Hatchery: Images of America, is due in bookstores July 8th. Readers will learn the intimate history of one of the oldest facilities in the USFWS, and about its new mission carried on daily. If you have something that belongs in the archives, please email randi_smith@fws.gov. For more information, please visit: www.fws.gov/dcbooth/.