Behind the Museum · Chapter 1 of 10 · Stories 1–13 of 145
Every museum has a beginning. Ours began long before we opened the doors in Florida—with a childhood story in the Soviet Union, an unexpected connection to American literature, and a growing fascination with rare books from the Land of Oz.
My name is Fred, and this is the beginning of my journey toward the Wizard of Oz Museum.
I did not grow up planning to collect rare Oz books or create a museum. Those ideas came much later. First came a story I thought I understood, followed by discoveries that changed the direction of my interests.
These thirteen stories trace the earliest steps of that journey—from childhood memories to research, collecting, and the decision to share important books with others.
I Grew Up Thinking Oz Was Russian
My first encounter with the world of Oz happened during my childhood in the Soviet Union. But I did not know it as an American story.
The book I knew was The Wizard of the Emerald City by Alexander Volkov. Its heroine, Ellie, traveled to a magical land and met memorable companions along the way.
I thought of it as a Russian story. I did not know the name L. Frank Baum or realize that an American book published decades earlier had inspired the adventure.
That childhood misunderstanding would eventually lead me to one of the most interesting discoveries of my life.
The Story We Waited All Year to Hear
One of my lasting childhood memories is the anticipation associated with hearing the Emerald City story again.
Today, stories are available almost instantly. We can watch a movie, listen to a recording, or open a book whenever we wish.
My experience growing up was different. When a familiar adventure was something to look forward to, the waiting became part of its magic.
I remember the feeling of returning to a world I already loved. That anticipation helped the Emerald City remain in my memory long after childhood.
I Rediscovered Oz Through My Children
Years later, after moving to the United States, I encountered Oz again through my children.
The familiar characters brought back memories of the story I had known in the Soviet Union. Yet this time, I was seeing it in an entirely different context.
As my children discovered Oz, I became curious about its history. I began learning about L. Frank Baum and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
What began as a family connection to a familiar story became the starting point for a much deeper interest in books and collecting.
The American Connection I Never Knew
Discovering that the Emerald City had American literary roots surprised me.
L. Frank Baum published The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900. Alexander Volkov's The Wizard of the Emerald City appeared later, in 1939, as an adaptation of Baum's story.
Suddenly, the book I remembered from childhood was connected to an earlier American work.
The discovery did not diminish my memories of Volkov's version. Instead, it made me curious about the original book, its author, and the history of Oz.
I thought I already knew the Emerald City. In reality, I was only beginning to discover Oz.
The Copyright Date That Fooled Me
When I first became interested in early Oz books, I learned that the date printed inside a book did not always tell its complete publishing history.
A copyright date can identify when a work was originally protected, but that date may appear in copies printed many years later.
For someone beginning to collect old books, this distinction is extremely important.
I had to learn to look beyond a single date and investigate the physical details that distinguish one printing from another.
That lesson changed the way I approached Oz collecting. It taught me that careful research mattered as much as enthusiasm.
Before the Internet, Identifying a First Edition Was Hard
Today, collectors can search online databases, compare photographs, and consult descriptions of rare books within minutes.
When I began researching Oz editions, information was not nearly so easy to obtain.
Identifying an early printing required patience and attention to details such as bindings, illustrations, title pages, and printing variations.
A book might look old without being a first edition. Two copies with similar covers might belong to different printings.
Learning to recognize those differences became an important part of my collecting experience.
How Research Turned Me Into an Oz Expert
I did not begin collecting Oz books with specialized knowledge. I began with questions.
I wanted to understand which editions were important, how to identify them, and why certain copies were considered rare.
Each answer led to another question. I studied publication histories, compared copies, and gradually learned to recognize details I would once have overlooked.
Over time, that research developed into a substantial understanding of Oz bibliography and collecting.
The expertise did not appear overnight. It grew from years of curiosity and careful investigation.
Why I Wrote a Collector's Guide
As I learned more about identifying rare Oz books, I recognized how confusing the process could be for other collectors.
A person might find an old-looking copy of an Oz book and assume it was valuable because of the date printed inside.
But determining an edition often requires much more information.
I decided to organize what I had learned into a collector's guide that could help readers understand important distinctions between editions and printings.
Writing about the books was another way to share the knowledge that had taken me years to develop.
There Isn't Just One Oz Book
Many people know The Wizard of Oz through the famous 1939 motion picture.
Others know the original novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
What often surprises people is that Baum wrote fourteen Oz books in total.
The adventures continued far beyond Dorothy's first journey to the Emerald City. Baum introduced new characters, places, and stories throughout the series.
After Baum's death, other writers continued publishing Oz adventures.
Discovering the size of this literary world helped turn my initial curiosity into a lasting interest.
Baum Wrote Far More Than Oz
As my research expanded, I learned that L. Frank Baum's writing career extended well beyond the Land of Oz.
He wrote other fantasy adventures, children's stories, and works published under different names.
This discovery made me interested in Baum not only as the creator of Oz but also as a remarkably productive American author.
Understanding his broader writing career helped me appreciate the original Oz books in a larger literary context.
For a collector, the history of the author can be just as fascinating as the history of an individual book.
Why I Donated a First Edition
Collecting rare books is often described as the search for something difficult to find.
But collecting also raises another question: what should happen to important books after they enter a private collection?
My decision to donate a first edition reflected the importance I place on preserving Oz history and sharing it with others.
An early edition is more than an old book. It is a physical connection to the time when a story first reached its readers.
I came to appreciate that such objects can have meaning beyond their place on a collector's shelf.
Why I Donated to the Judy Garland Museum
The history of Oz includes both the original books and the many adaptations that introduced the story to new audiences.
Judy Garland's portrayal of Dorothy in the 1939 film became one of the most recognizable parts of Oz history.
My interest in preserving that history eventually included supporting the Judy Garland Museum through a donation.
I see literary history and film history as connected parts of the larger Oz story.
Preserving these connections helps future generations understand why Oz has remained meaningful for so long.
I Took My Collection to the Land of Oz
For years, my interest in Oz centered on books, research, and collecting.
But Oz also has a community of enthusiasts who celebrate its stories and history.
Taking my collection to the Land of Oz became an opportunity to connect that private interest with people who shared an appreciation for Baum's imaginative world.
Books that I had studied and collected could become part of conversations with others.
That experience helped reinforce an important idea: a collection can do more than preserve history.
It can bring people together through a story they love.
From a Childhood Story to a Bigger Dream
Looking back at these early experiences, I see how one discovery led to another.
A childhood memory led me to Baum's American books. Those books led me to research. Research led to collecting, writing, and sharing what I had learned.
At this stage, I still did not know that a museum was in my future.
That next step would come when the idea of sharing the collection with the public began to take shape.
Next chapter: The Decision to Build a Museum.
