Western Michigan History Events

(Click to View Western Michigan History Exhibits)

• December 2: Grand Rapids

  Visit their website

  Collector Charles Schoenknecht will give an overview of the history of Christmas ornaments, especially ornaments from the early 1900s. He will give us the who, what and why, plus he will have a small tree decorated with examples for participants to more easily understand. Hosted by the Grand Rapids Public Library, this event is free and open to the public.

• December 6: Saugatuck

  Visit their website

  Join the Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society for their annual holiday party, which will be held at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. In the spirit of holidays past, this year's event brings back the time-honored tradition of the community potluck. A holiday ham entree and tableware will be provided. Please bring an appetizer, salad, side dish, or dessert of your choice to pass. A cash bar will also be available. If you prefer not to bring a dish, simply send in a payment of $15 and the Society will prepare a tasty dish for you! Space is limited, so please reserve a seat today. For reservations and more information, visit their website or call (269) 857-5751.

• December 10: Grand Rapids
  Evelyn Aschenbrenner, author of A History of Wayne State University in Photographs, will speak about her book and sign copies at Barnes and Noble in Kentwood, MI (outside of Grand Rapids) from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The store is located at 3195 28th Street at the Woodland Mall. The bookstore can be reached at (616) 954-2211.

• January 16: Grand Rapids

  Visit their website

  Join the Grand Rapids Public Library for their event "History Detectives: Following Clues to Michigan's Past." Historic preservationist Rebecca Smith-Hoffman and education historian Laurie Catherine Perkins will join GRPL staff member Jennifer Morrison in teaching participants how to discover more about Michigan's history. Topics will include "The Peck Building: Searching for the Story of a Landmark," "Adventure, Romance and Mystery: Cookbooks at Mid-Twentieth Century," and "Talking Tombstones: Exploring the Mysteries of Oakhill Cemetery." Registration is required. Visit www.grpl.org/register or call (616) 988-5400 to sign up. Free and open to the public.

Western Michigan History Exhibits

• Dec. 1 - 28: Grand Rapids

  Visit their website

  In conjunction with the 2009-10 Great Michigan Read, the traveling exhibit Their Journey: Vietnamese in Michigan looks at the history of Vietnamese refugees in Michigan. The exhibit augments Bich Minh Nguyen's book, "Stealing Buddha's Dinner," a memoir chronicling the author's migration from Vietnam in 1975 and her coming of age in Grand Rapids in the 1980. The exhibit was created by the Michigan Humanities Council. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

• Sep. 5 - Jan. 3, 2010: Grand Rapids

  Visit their website

  "Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion" will bring to the Public Museum the largest exhibition of full-size machine replicas constructed according to da Vinci's famous codices. On display September 5, 2009 - January 3, 2010 will be over 40 machines - 30 of them fully operational - including a revolving crane, an armored car, a robot, a bicycle, a printing press and a machine gun - built by a group of scientists and skilled craftsmen in Florence after an in-depth study of the master's manuscripts. Visitors will be encouraged to touch and set the machines into motion, combining a fascinating hands-on experience with an exploration of the principles da Vinci employed to create each machine. To make the exhibit more accessible, the Public Museum will extend its hours into the evening one week each month. Normally closed at 5 pm, the Museum will be open from 5 - 9 pm for "da Vinci di Notte" (da Vinci at Night) September 14-18; October 12-15; November 9-13 and December 28-31/January 2. The special evening ticket package includes Museum admission, special exhibit admission, a planetarium show, unlimited carousel rides and a pasta meal for just $12 per person. (Member price is $6.)

• Nov. 20, 2009 - Nov. 2010: Grand Rapids

  Visit their website

  The Grand Rapids Public Museum has produced a new temporary exhibit, Amway: 50 Years of Helping People Live Better Lives, which will open November 20 in the Van Andel Museum Center. Part of life and industry in West Michigan for the past half-century, Amway is the creation of two entrepreneurs (Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel) and their determination to convert dream into reality. The exhibit tells the story of these two men and the company they established together.
  
  Today, Amway is an international corporation specializing in health, beauty and home care products. In just 50 years, it has emerged as one of the leading direct selling companies in the world. And while the company operates globally, Amway's founding families continue to make generous and lasting contributions to the west Michigan area, supporting health and medical research, and numerous arts, education and cultural projects and institutions, including the Grand Rapids Public Museum. This exhibit is free with general museum admission.

• Mar. 2009 - Mar. 2011: St. Joseph

  Visit their website

  On March 27, 2009, The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center will open a new exhibit, Working Waterfronts: Planning and Preserving the Maritime Traditions of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor. The exhibit will be open for two years, through March 2011. Not only will visitors to the exhibit enjoy a rich blend of images, artifacts and historical information, but the exhibit will also focus on the need to create awareness and dialogue regarding which historic structures and landscapes should be preserved and how to plan for future uses and preservation of the waterfront. Engaging feedback stations will give visitors the chance to record their thoughts on related issues. The exhibit will also serve as a model for other Great Lakes communities to address their own issues of maritime preservation and waterfront development. For more information, please call (269) 983-1191.

• Two Year Event: Benton Harbor

  Visit their website

  "World's Largest"- The Benton Harbor Fruit Market and Southwest Michigan's Fruit Belt This two-year exhibit explores the rich fruit growing environment in Southwest Michigan and the significant impact of the Benton Harbor Fruit Market. The display highlights collections of historical artifact, photographs and documents from local farming families and fruit related businesses. Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00 to 4:00 Admission: Members and children 15 & under, Free Non-Members, $5.00 Location: Second Floor

• Now Open: Benton Harbor

  Visit their website

  175 Years of Light: St. Joseph's Lighthouse Legacy St. Joseph's lighthouses are perhaps the city's most recognizable landmarks but the two that presently sit at the end of the north pier are only part of a long, lighthouse legacy. Since 1832, St. Joseph has had five different lighthouses, a lighthouse supply depot that served more than 100 lighthouses on Lake Michigan, and a keeper's dwelling which still stands today. Along with photos, 175 Years of Light features small collection items, such as a hat worn by one of St. Joseph's last lighthouse keepers, Ferdinand Ollhoff, as well as a brass button from his uniform. Also included are several objects which commemorate the lighthouses. St. Joseph holds a distinctive place in maritime history as the only city in Michigan with two surviving lighthouses, a restored catwalk, a U.S. lighthouse Supply Depot, and a lighthouse keeper's dwelling. Admission to the exhibit is free and is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 am-4 pm. The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center is located at 601 Main Street, St. Joseph. Please call 269-983-1191 for more information.




To submit information for Historical Happenings:




Mail information to:


The Historical Society of Michigan
1305 Abbot Rd.
East Lansing, MI 48823


or E-mail: hsm@hsmichigan.org or FAX: (517) 324-4370