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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

August 15, 2008
4:00 p.m. Dedication Ceremony: Farm Tool Skills Center, Mason County Historical Society, Ludington.

Farm Tool Skills Center -- (2007)

Grant Awarded: March 2007

Type of Grant: Michigan People, Michigan Places ... Our Stories, Our Lives

Sponsor: Mason County Historical Society

Contact: Ronald Wood, 231-843-4808, rmwood@historicwhitepinevillage.org

Website: www.historicwhitepinevillage.org

Award: $13,870

$13,870 Awarded To Mason County Historical Society For Farm Tool Skills Learning Center

(LUDINGTON)-----On June 5, 2007, the Michigan Humanities Council (MHC) awarded a $13,870 grant to the Mason County Historical Society (MCHS) for the project, Farm Tool Skills Learning Center. The grant is part of the MHC’s Strengthening Michigan’s Communities Through the Humanities program, which supports community collaboration for public humanities programs. The grant was presented at the Historic White Pine Village in Ludington as part of the society’s 12th Annual Pancake Supper. The event included comments from the office of U.S. Representative Peter Hoekstra.

“This project provides an important way to understand how the use of certain farm tools have impacted rural culture and their communities,” stated Jan Fedewa, executive director of the Michigan Humanities Council. “The Michigan Humanities Council is pleased to support this interactive exhibit and its companion public programs.”

With a tremendous amount of community involvement and enthusiasm, White Pine Village in Ludington will establish a permanent farm tools learning center exhibit. Existing artifacts and additional tools will be thoroughly researched and incorporated into displays, some being interactive. Community life, productivity of the farm, past and present farming will all be emphasized and each item will be involved in telling a specific story. Research will be collected in a Vintage Farm Tools Use Book made available to interested organizations and schools. White Pine Village will create a unique approach to the topic of rural life and agriculture, which needs attention as part of Michigan’s unique heritage. The exhibit is expected to have its grand opening in June of 2008.

“We are pleased to have been awarded a Michigan Humanities Council grant as part of MHC’s Strengthening Michigan’s Communities Through the Humanities program, ” said Ronald Wood, director of Mason County Historical Society/Historic White Pine Village. “Our planned Farm Tool Skills Learning Center will enhance our current educational emphasis at Historic White Pine Village and at the same time allow us to feature and focus on the wonderful collection of machinery and artifacts recently donated to the Society by the estate of Carl Peterson, a long time resident of Riverton Township.”

“The Mason County Historical Society acknowledges the dedication, skill, and hard work of the Farm Tool Team members, whose job it is to develop the Farm Tool Skills Learning Center at Historic White Pine Village,” said Gerry Taylor, project manager and MCHS board member. “This team includes several members from multi-generation Mason County farm families, as well as researchers, a design specialist and display fabricators. The Team goal is to maximize the generosity of the Michigan Humanities Council, the Carl Peterson family, the volunteers and others, to create a highly educational suite of exhibits. Each exhibit will include vintage farm tool items, and explain their use and significance to West Michigan farming. Whenever possible, an interactive component will encourage visitors to experience the use of a tool item."

"Farming has historically had a significant impact of the rural character of West Michigan," said U.S. Representative Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland. "An interactive exhibit featuring farm artifacts and machinery will help to educate people on the early years of the local agricultural community and just how far it has advanced."

"Understanding the tools that have helped develop Michigan agriculture will provide a valuable link to our State's history and culture,” said U.S. Senator Carl Levin. “I applaud the Michigan Humanities Council and the Mason County Historical Society for making this new opportunity possible."

The Michigan Humanities Council, founded in 1974, is the state’s independent, non-profit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. For additional information on the Michigan Humanities Council, please visit: www.michiganhumanities.org or call 517-372-7770.

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