Historic county cottages to be documented
Barbara B. Siepker of Glen Arbor has been selected by the Leelanau Historical Society as the Edmund F. Ball Fellow for 2004-2005 and will recieve a $2,500 award to help fund her project to document historic Glen Lake Cottages.
The project's primary objective is to assemble existing information about early life on Glen Lake, particularly the summer resorts and family cottages. The project will produce a survey and photo exhibits of Glen Lake resorts and cottages built prior to 1950.
Siepker is quoted as saying "recent years have seen the progressive demise of our historical buildings, making documentation of the remaining structures of immediate concern.
The fellowship is underwritten by the George Ball Foundation of Muncie, Ind. in honor of philanthropist Edmund F. Ball.
|
Historical Leelanau Writing Program
Finished Toolshed Photos Added 8/13/2004!
(Click on above link)
The Leelanau Historical Society reaches beyond the scope of most rural historical organizations. In a region where many venues close for the winter, the LHS strives for a year-round presence in the community that has supported us for nearly half a century. Now, thanks to a three-year grant from the Edmund and Virginia Ball Foundation, our ability to provide quality educational programs during the winter months has been assured.
With help from a recent Edmund and Virginia Ball Foundation Grant, our staff will soon be outfitting our newly remodeled River Gallery with educational displays linked to specific historical periods. Nautical exhibits, a model wigwam, a turn of the century storefront, a lumber camp, and a cherry harvest exhibit are among the concepts being considered. The museum staff will then open the displays to upper elementary students and tie the information presented to carefully structured writing programs in participating county schools. The goal is to produce books for each school that include not only historical writingm but also illustrations, photos, and memorabilia. Programs are already scheduled in Glen Lake, Pathfinder, Northport and St. Mary's Schools.
During the second year of the three-year grant cycle, the LHS will continue the elementary writing programs and recruit students of all grades who wish to participate in book titled "Leelanau Shipwrecks." Student writers will use the Museum as a research facility, compiling stories of boats that met their fate along Leelanau's coastal waters. During the third year of the grant, Society staff will help students polish their shipwreck stories, with the goal of publishing a marketable quality book on the subject in the spring of 2006.
The LHS is honored to be associated with a family that is nationally recognized for their support of arts and culture. By now we have all heard the sad news of the passing of Virginia Ball, who worked closely with us in formulating this year's grant. "The educational goals of our grant were heartily endorsed by Virginia, and we at LHS intend to apply our considerable assets to make the programs a success," says LHS director John Mitchell.
|
Museum Renovation Complete - June 2003
The Leelanau Historical Society's renovation of the Cedar Street Museum is in full swing. During January, the emphasis was on the safe packing and careful transport of our extensive collections to off site locations. Both of our temporary storage areas have been equipped with fire, smoke, and motion detectors to protect the collections during their time off site. Due to the efforts of collections staff, volunteers and other paid museum collection professionals, the job was completed without a single loss or injury to either staff or objects.
Limited interior demolition was complete in the first ten days of February. Carpet was torn up, walls torn down, and new doors and windows framed. last week the rebuilding began in earnest. Gauthier Construction installed all new Andersen windows in the Museum, each featuring UV filtering glass and the latest in thermal protection. Ray Schaub and crew screwed down the plywood underlayment that will hold the maple flooring. Carl and Matt Young added electrical lines to the rough framing. LHS President Logan Hardie spent a day in the attic pulling cable and lines for internet and phone connections.
As of April 30th the maple flooring is complete and the staff is very nearly ready to begin transferring the collections and archives back into the museum. The movable archival storage system was installed on April 29th.
|
 |
Leelanau's Illustrated History Program 2003
The Leelanau Historical Society makes a continual effort to promote history in the arts and education. In our next effort, we will strive to involve many levels of local artists and educators in order to create an illustrated history of Leelanau County. In the first phase, participants will illustrate a wide range of historical locations in Leelanau County. Later, local authors will add historically accurate descriptions and stories to the illustrations. The Historical Society will lend its considerable assets to the project to enrich its historical content and steer the work to its eventual conclusion as a quality book.
We have dedicated the second week in January, 2003, to our pilot efforts in this venture. The project will begin at Northport Schools on January9&10, when the Leelanau Historical Society will bring Leelanau County artist and educator Tom Woodruff to the school to work on multi-grade historical drawing projects. On Saturday, January 11, the LHS Museum in Leland will then host another Woodruff drawing seminar for artists of all ages. Participants will be asked to bring in a photograph of a past or present Leelanau historical site, and Woodruff will help transform it into an original work of art.
|
The Leelanau Follies
The revival of this Leelanau County summer tradition in June 2002 was one of our great fund rasing events. The sythesis of bringing history to life, and having fun while doing it, is at the heart of the mission of the Leelanau Historical Society. The Follies helped illuminate an important mission of the Society - maintaining historical archives. Our archives, from period music and photos down to the original 1922 Follies program, were crucial in guiding this entertaining venture.
|
|
Today's Tomorrows Youth Challenge
Today's Tomorrows Youth Challenge (T2) is a collaboration of students, local governments, nonprofit organizations, businesses and individuals who believe in youth creating community change. Click here for more information.
|
 |
2001 Leelanau County Cultural Resources Survey
The 4th of July parade is one of the expressive traditions documented for the Cultural Resources Survey that the Leelanau Historical Museum has undertaken in conjunction with Michigan State University Museum and the Michigan Traditional Arts Program. Click here for more information.
|
 |
History Afield: Swing
into Summer with the Leelanau Historical Society
Your choice of three exciting afternoon time events -- a golf scramble at King's Challenge, a tennis tournament at the Leland Country Club, or a guided tour of historic Sleeping Bear Bay -- followed by a reception at the Riverside Inn and family bar-b-que supper on the grounds of the Old Art Building in Leland. Delicious food will be provided by chef John Hardy of Cedar Valley Ranch catering. Click here for more information. All proceeds benefit the general operations of the Society.
|
 |
2001 Conservation Assessment Program Grant
The Leelanau Historical Society has been awarded a 2001 Conservation Assessment Program grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services and Heritage Preservation. Click here for more information.
|
 |
Yesterday's Tomorrows: Past Visions of the American Future
Yesterday's Tomorrows: Past Visions of the American Future offers a unique history of popular expectations and beliefs about the shape of things to come. The Leelanau Historical Museum will host Yesterday's Tomorrows from November 2001 until January 2002.
|
 |
Vistas del Campo: Perspectivas de los Niños Migratorios
Vistas del Campo (Views from the Field) is a photographic study by migrant children in Leelanau County, Michigan developed in association with the Glen Arbor Art Association.
|
 |
Internet Strategies for Small Museums
Internet Strategies for Small Museums is meant to be a resource for museums and cultural institutions looking to develop or enhance a web presence. This topic was originally presented at the 2000 Michigan Museums Conference on Mackinac Island, Michigan.
|
 |
Mystery Images: Glass Plate Negatives from The Leelanau Historical Museum Archive
A regional Internet magazine, The Northern Michigan Journal, is running an online version of a LHM exhibit of photographs produced from glass plate negatives (circa 1920). The exhibit is especially interesting due to the fact that the subjects of the photos are a mystery. Take a look and see if you can help us unravel the mystery!
|
 |
The Polish Legacy in Cedar, Michigan
Enjoy highlights of the Library of Congress Local Legacy project,
The Polish Legacy in Cedar, Michigan, and learn about the cultural history and folklife of this town in the heart of Leelanau County.
|
 |
A Silent Auction of Two Spectacular Quilts...
The Leelanau Historical Society recently offered two spectacular quilts for auction. These two quilts were generously donated to the Society to raise funds for the Leelanau Historical Museum. Proceeds from the sale of these unique items will be used to protect and develop the Museum's collections.
|
 |
Windy City Blues Fundraiser
Immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of a Depression-era Chicago jazz club featuring the singularly expressive music of Harry Goldson and the soulful interludes of Grammy Award nominee Betty Joplin on June 24 at our Windy City Blues Fundraiser for 2000.
|
 |
Leelanau Voices
Explore the history of Leelanau County with our Leelanau Oral History Project. View a selection of photos and interview excerpts from persons who have touched many lives in Leelanau County.
|
 |
Love Letters
Our 1999 Love Letters fundraiser featured Joyce Braithwaite and Dean Robb performing A.R. Gurney's poignant and romantic play Love Letters at the Bay Theatre and was a tremendous success!
|
 |
