As we reported earlier, the Scottish town of Linlithgow held a special commemoration of the late James Doohan on September 17 at the Annet House Museum, which houses a Doohan Memorial exhibition of personal memorabilia and props. Several members of the Doohan family traveled to Scotland to attend the dedication, including widow Wende, 7-year-old daughter Sarah, elder son Chris, and others. Located in the West Lothian council district (equivalent to a county) about 20 miles west of Edinburgh, Linlithgow claims "Scotty" as its native son based on D.C. Fontana's novel "Vulcan's Glory."

The following is a first-hand report from Chris Doohan.

As many of you know, many cities in Scotland were vying for the right to call Scotty their own. But in the end, it was the city of Linlithgow that won out as "The Future Birthplace of Scotty." We were asked to attend the opening and unveiling of the plaques at the Annet House. Here is a short synopsis of our trip.

I arrived at the airport and was greeted by the Tourism and Town Manager, John Masson. I immediately liked the man because he told me that I looked much younger then I actually was. I later found out that all the Scottish people are this nice and that they will bend over backwards to make sure you have a great time in Scotland. That being said, I guess I look my age. The next morning I met up with the rest of the traveling Doohan clan which included my stepmother, Wende, my sisters Larkin Pritchard and Sarah (7 y/o) and my niece, Meaghan Visser.

Before we headed off to the Annet House, we decided to walk down the streets of Linlithgow to take in the sights. This is a beautiful old town with many things to see. Most people don't know about this little town, or wouldn't think of going there, but it is well worth the extra 15-minute train ride from Edinburgh. I can tell you that the great little shops in the area put a smile on the faces of the female contingent of our clan. As a matter of fact, I didn't think we would make it to the unveiling in time as the watches they were wearing miraculously stopped working (kidding).

Anyway, after I tore them away from their shopping frenzy, we started walking down to the Annet House. The streets lights had several long banners hanging from them that read "JAMES DOOHAN The Memorial Exhibition" on the front, and "Miracle Workers are Born In Linlithgow" on the back. They were quite impressive. On our way, we met up with John Masson again, who took us to the Annet House and gave us a small tour. The exhibit was very impressive, extremely well done and you can tell they really put their heart into it. I was surprised to see that even though the exhibit is pegged as the "Future Birthplace of Scotty," it was more of a tribute to my father, James Doohan, than the iconic character he made so famous. The walls are covered with family photos, military photos, and of course some Star Trek memorabilia as well. There were Dilithium crystals, an original Tribble, and even my dad's kilt on display, just to mention a few items. The West Lothian Council spent well over 10,000 pounds on the exhibit, which is about 20,000 US dollars. We were told that since the exhibit opened, the museum's attendance has more than doubled.

We then met Alan Young, the Chairman of the Linlithgow Heritage Trust (he was wearing a kilt) and he told us that there may be some press at the unveiling, but not to expect much. To our surprise, and his, there were several television news cameras, as well as numerous photographers and reporters. Wende and I were interviewed by several local television shows, including Scotland Today and the BBC News.

After the event we were all invited to have dinner with the Provost, Tom Kerr (a provost is the equivalent of a Lord Mayor in Scotland). We were also joined by John Masson, Alan Young, Ian Buxton and other West Lothian dignitaries. It was definitely a day to remember. So, if you ever go to Scotland, don't forget to drop by the Annet House in Linlithgow. I'm sure they'll make your stay a memorable one. They may even tell you how young you look.

Sincerely,
Chris Doohan