Hey friends, Matthew here with Spirit of Bohemia Mining Days.
Over the past year, you have seen a huge rise in the stories, images, and videos we have been sharing about our rich history here in Cottage Grove. Many of those pieces rely on AI tools, and I want to talk about why.
The New Frontier of Creativity
Artificial Intelligence has opened the door to fast, eye-catching content. Our social media metrics show a clear trend: posts that use AI-enhanced visuals and production methods consistently reach more people and spark greater engagement.
That matters to us because we want local history to reach everyone.
But here is the important part. Behind every video, every script, every piece of research, there is a human. There is heart.
Your stories are researched by real people:
Myself
Marshall Dave Light
Vice President Jeremy Ferguson
And volunteers who care deeply about this community
AI does not replace our work. It helps us share it more widely.
Why We Tell These Stories
Our goal is not to feed you a digital substitute for real history. We want to ignite curiosity.
We want someone to watch a short video about Bohemia City and then visit the museum wanting to learn more.
We want families to discover a legend on social media and then explore resources at the Genealogical Society.
These stories are a bridge, connecting people from a scroll on their phone to a deeper discovery of who we are.
What We Cannot Lose
I am an artist. I love creating. Whether it is a painting, a forged piece of metal, a table I built, or even a homemade meal, the act of making fulfills something in me. That spark matters. And I do not want to see a future where handmade art is pushed aside simply because AI is faster.
Human creativity is what built this community. Human creativity is what gave us identity.
Which leads me to this next part.
A Call to Performers, Creators, and Storytellers
To keep this history alive, we need people like you:
Actors and reenactors
Filmmakers and photographers
Musicians, voiceover artists, and writers
Designers, crafters, and builders
Students looking for creative experience
Elders who hold valuable memories
AI helps us share the stories, but only people can live them.
If you have talent, passion, or simply a desire to help, we would love to work with you. Join us in bringing history to life for the next generation.
Let us use AI as a tool, while human creativity remains the soul.
Together, we can make content that not only looks good, but means something.