Ignacio “Buck” Cruz (1927-2017) was a public servant, World War II survivor and a long time Malesso’/erizo Mayor. Cruz served as commissioner and mayor of Malesso’ for 21 years before stepping down in 2000.
Ignacio “Buck” Cruz Read Post »
When the Guam Museum opened at the Garden House, Plaza de España in 1954, members of the Guam Women’s Club and Guam Historical Club volunteered their time to staff it. A year later the government hired Thelma Glenn, one of the Guam Women’s Club members, to be a museum attendant.
Joey San Agustin was a curator of the Guam Museum from 1994 until his passing in 2001. Initially hired in 1990, San Agustin created many Guam Museum presentations, booklets and exhibits on historical and cultural legacies of Guam and presented them at local public schools.
Anthony J. Ramirez was the curator of the Guam Museum from 1995 to 2012. In 2008, he created a booklet entitled, I Hinanoa-ta: A Pictorial Journey Through Time, which tells the story of the CHamoru people through the Museum’s collections of objects, photographs, prints and maps.
Anthony “Tony” Ramirez Read Post »
Rita Franquez had a short but fruitful role with the Guam Museum. The former teacher was the assistant director of the Guam Public Library in 1991 when Governor Joseph F. Ada signed Executive Order 91-17 which the created a Cultural and Historical Working Committee under the direction of Tony Mariano, the director of the Department of Parks and Recreation.
William Hernandez was trained and certified in museum work at the National Museum of the Philippines and the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, and then served as the Guam Museum Curator from 1985 until 1993.
William L. Hernandez Read Post »
For 30 years, from 1960 to 1990, the Guam Museum was under the administration of the Guam Public Library. During most of those years Magdalena S. Taitano was the island’s territorial librarian. Taitano was also the first CHamoru to earn a Master’s degree in library sciences.
US Navy Corpsman Hiram W. Elliott (1880 – 1949) came to Guam in the early 1900s to work at the Maria Schroeder Naval Hospital. He married Concepcion Martinez of Hagåtña, and the couple had 12 children. He was also a teacher at the public night school in Hagåtña. After Elliott retired from the Navy he used his pharmacy training to open Elliott’s Drug Store, near where the Hagåtña precinct/police station is now located.
Gertrude Costenoble, also known as Trudis Alemån, was born 20 December 1893, in Reinfelden, Switzerland. In 1904 a portion of the Costenoble family, parents Gertrude Blum and Ludwig Wilhelm Herman with brother Hermann, had settled on Guam. The whole family was later reunited on Guam three years later.
Gertrude and Hans Hornbostel Read Post »
Andrew T. Laguaña (1950 – 2022) was part of the first generation of island-born architects, and the first Chamorro elevated to Fellow status of the American Institute of Architects. Since 1989, he guided Guam’s architectural and engineering professions while defining the island’s building environment, honoring Guam’s cultural uniqueness, and serving as an outstanding example for future generations. He was the first Guam architect to chair a region (Region 6) of the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. He also advocated for updating Guam’s Building Code.
Andrew “Andy” Laguaña Read Post »
