In 1938, Jack Sorensen’s father was picking potatoes in a neighbour’s farm.

            

            He looked down the field where he was working and saw an arrow-shaped object. He took it home and saved it.

            

            Years later, he showed the young and intrigued Sorensen what he found.

           

            Many years after this, Sorensen brought the object to archaeologists.

            

            It turned out to be an 11,000-year-old Indigenous spearpoint. It is the oldest man-made artifact ever found on P.E.I.

            

            “I think that is probably where the interest in history originated with me,” Sorensen said.

            

            He has gathered many artifacts like this spearpoint over the years, and displays them at the Tryon Museum in Tryon, P.E.I.

            

            Now, he is looking for someone to take over his museum and continue preserving Tryon’s history.

            

            Sorensen officially started the museum which operates out of his home in 2007, though he had been collecting historical objects for years beforehand.

            

            It is dedicated to telling the stories of people within the area, from Indigenous communities to European settlers, he said.

            

            “We have a fairly important and useful collection of objects, and we can show people that support what we talk about.”

            

            Sorensen has also collected more modern artifacts.

            

            The former Holland College electronics instructor has kept equipment like old microphones and a record player. Much of it is still in working order.

            

            “The artifacts relate to the (lives) of all these people that we now celebrate,” he said.

            

            But now that he is in his eighties, Sorensen is unsure of what will happen to the artifacts.

            

            He has had health issues and recently had a pacemaker put in.

            

            Trying to find new leadership for the museum has proven difficult.

            

            People may have an interest in its mission but may not have the skills or dedication to manage it, Sorensen said.

            

            “In a small community like this, we don't seem to have the potential of people that are able or willing to carry this forward.”

            

            He plans to continue searching for someone willing to learn and take over.

            

            He is also looking into the possibility of joining forces with other historical groups in the South Shore region.

            

            “We can't really say we made a lot of progress in that regard, but we are working on that concept and exploring diligently.”

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            Paul H. Schurman supports the idea.

 

            He served as both chair and vice-chair of the South Shore Historical Society, which includes communities like Tryon.

            

            It is important to protect the museum so the community can grow, and that a group can help with this, he said.

            

            “If they’ve got (a group) behind them…then they can dictate as to what that group should be doing to help out with that area.”

            

            Schurman, 91, also donated several artifacts from his own radio broadcasting career to the museum.

            

            He said the history of communities must be preserved.

            

            “I think every area needs one of those (places) that they can turn to or follow.”

            

            Despite the struggles of finding new leadership, Sorensen continues to receive appreciation from community members for what he does to preserve Tryon’s history.

            

            Many visitors go to the museum to learn more about their family history after visiting the church cemetery next to it.

            

            He gets lots of personal satisfaction from doing what he does.

            

            “I'm driven by the fact that it's relating to the lives of a lot of other people besides me, dealing with their histories and why they're important here.”

            

            Sorensen said other communities close to Tryon also fear losing their histories and protecting them will help bring support the Tryon Museum needs to continue.

            

            “There’s a history of pretty well every community in the South Shore, so we have to protect all that.”