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Anthony “Tony” Ramirez
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.
Rita Franquez
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 L. Hernandez
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.
Magdalena Taitano
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.
American Legion
The American Legion is a federally chartered veterans organization that supports veterans’ issues and engages in other community projects. The American Legion Mid-Pacific Post No. 1 was founded in Guam in 1930 under Naval Governor Willis Bradley. When the Guam Museum was first established in 1932, Governor Edmund S. Root authorized the use of a small building adjacent to the Plaza de España’s historic grounds fronting and surrounding the Governor’s Palace. The newly formed American Legion offered to manage it. Hiram W. Elliot, post commander, and Naval Chaplain Francis Lee Albert. Elliot hired Joaquin T. Aguon to help with the collections.
Hiram W. Elliott
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 and Hans Hornbostel
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.
Andrew “Andy” Laguaña
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.
Laura T. Souder
In the late 1950s a very young Laura Souder spent Saturdays with her father, Paul, at the Guam Museum at its Garden House location in the Plaza de España. In addition to dusting the artifacts, her interaction with museum attendant Thelma Glenn and hearing stories of Guam history from her father helped shape her career.
Guam Historical Club
The Guam Historical Club was a small group of people interested in Guam history in the 1950s and 1960s. Led by Paul Souder and Agueda Iglesias Johnston, the Club helped tell the story of Guam history at the Guam Museum when it was located at the Garden House at the Plaza de España. Members helped care for the artifacts, engaged with visitors as needed, and worked in cooperation with the Guam Women’s Club who staffed the museum at the time.