The  Preservation Company
415 North Salina Street 2nd floor
Syracuse, New York 13203
315-478-0978
L. Frank Baum historian, Kathleen Sorbello Di Scenna, formed the Preservation Company in 1995. The goal of the Company is to celebrate the life and times of L. Frank Baum and his stories of OZ, especially here in Central New York.
Throughout the years, the Preservation Company has connected the life of our Central New York native, starting from Chittenango (L. Frank Baum's birthplace), to Syracuse, Mattydale, (once known as the town of Salina), and Fayetteville.
It is believed that L. Frank Baum's "real life" unfolds in his books. With this belief in mind, the Preservation Company has been able to recreate the stories of OZ as well as the time period from when L. Frank Baum lived in Central New York.
One of the ways the Preservation Company achieves the recreation of L. Frank's life is by holding a series of special events. With over 40 volunteers dressed up in costume and using historical landmarks as the backdrops, one can imagine when L. Frank Baum may have walked on the same streets as we do now. To have walked into some of the same (now historic) buildings that he may have walked into is an incredible feeling. And one can see where he may have come up with some of those terrific OZ characters.
Since 1982, Kathleen has been fascinated with the original stories of OZ written by L. Frank Baum. She recalls her earliest memories of OZ from watching the MGM movie "The Wizard of Oz" on TV. After learning that there were 14 original stories of OZ, Kathleen not only wanted to know more about OZ, but also wanted to know about the man whose incredible imagination wrote these timeless stories.
It has always been Kathleen's focus to make the OZ characters REAL. Seeing that there are over 300 hundred characters in this far away land, Kathleen always asks the same questions, like, do you know that there are 14 stories to L. Frank Baum's original collection and do you want to see the rest of the story? The answers from people are very positive and "YES" they want to see the rest of the OZ stories.
Kathleen dedicates this web-site to the Baum Family Trust. Also to her dear friend Cynthia Baum Tassini -Niece of L. Frank and Maud Baum, and Ozma Baum Mantele -Grand daughter of L. Frank and Maud Baum (now deceased), Gita Morena- Great Granddaughter of L. Frank and Maud Baum for their encouragement and support. It has been both a privilege and an honor to know these extraordinary women.
It's amazing how local history can be so much fun. And since 1995 the Preservation Company has delighted both adults and children alike.
Coming in May of 2004, the Preservation Company will open its doors to the new Resource Center. The Center will be fill with books, archival documents, manuscripts, copyrights and pictures of the life of L. Frank Baum and his books of Oz.
Come and plunge yourself and the whole family into the imagination of one of the greatest American Fairytale and children's writers of our time.
It is the opinion of the Preservation Company that L. Frank Baum's vision of OZ was far ahead of his time. Even now (103 years later) in the 21 century, a time of many books and movie sequels, Baum's classics (already sequels and movies) are even more relevant than from the time they were written.
Enjoy the web-site. Stay as long as you like. But most all come visit us again and again and again. Thank you for visiting.
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