Every piece of Dryden pottery Pauline Zvolanek removes from the display case at Ellsworth’s Hodgden House Museum to dust and catalog, she wonders — Did I have a hand in making this?

There is probably no answer to that question, but one thing is certain. The work Zvolanek is doing today goes a long way in helping to preserve Ellsworth County’s colorful past for tomorrow.

It’s one of the reasons she was named “Historian of the Year” Sunday afternoon at the 59th annual meeting of the Ellsworth County Historical Society at the Ellsworth Senior Center.

“She’s amazing,” said society director Cynthia Edgerle, holding up a large white notebook filled with Zvolanek photographs — four to a page. She has taken more than 3,000, some featuring the smallest of museum pieces, such as a hair pin with a jewell.

“I don’t know how much money we’ve spent for batteries for my small camera,” Zvolanek joked.

Then, on a more serious note, “It has been so much fun. Thank you. I’m just overwhelmed.”

Zvolanek has catalogued items in all rooms of the museum with the exception of two upstairs. She plans to move next door to the livery stable once she finishes with the museum.

The Dryden pieces have been especially important to her because she was one of the company’s early employees. Zvolanek went to work for founder James Dryden 1947, the year after he started his pottery business, and then transferred to the family hardware store, which is now occupied by the Classy Lady Boutique.

The pottery plant was on 8th Street before moving to Old Highway 40 and eventually, in 1956, to Hot Springs, Ark.

Zvolanek worked for Dryden until her marriage in April 1948.

She said the museum has “boxes and boxes” of Dryden pottery, which museum curators use to freshen the exhibit.

Society president Cherie Sauers reported that the Hodgden House welcomed more than 745 visitors in the past year. The Fort Harker Guardhouse Museum has more than 700 visitors.