Dec. 9, 2005

Mackinac Island, Mich. - In the 1960s an officer of Mackinac State Historic Parks discovered over 4,000 turn-of-the-century negatives in a downtown Mackinac Island building, boxed and ready to go to the dump. Now, the parks' chief curator, Steven C. Brisson, shares over 250 of the images in a new book titled Picturesque Mackinac - The Photographs of William H. Gardiner 1896-1915.

Brisson introduces readers to Mackinac photographer William Gardiner, and then devotes the majority of this large, handsome compilation to photos printed from Gardiner's original glass-plate negatives. The prints - many never published before - are stunning in detail, revealing the burgeoning tourist destination of Mackinac Island in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The images range from portraits of island workers, residents and visitors to cruise ships, cottages and hotels.

Picturesque Mackinac retails for $26.95. A limited quantity of autographed copies may be ordered in time for Christmas by calling Mackinac State Historic Parks at (231) 436-4100.

Brisson is a sixth-generation native of Michigan's Upper Peninsula from western Alger County, and currently resides in Cheboygan, Michigan. He has degrees from Northern Michigan University and the Cooperstown Graduate Program in History Museum Studies. He has served as a curator for the State Historical Society of Wisconsin Sites Division, curator of collections for Mackinac State Historic Parks and as chief curator for the parks since 2004.

Mackinac State Historic Parks, a family of living history museums and parks in Northern Michigan's Straits of Mackinac region, is an agency within the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries. Sites include Fort Mackinac, Historic Downtown and Mackinac Island State Park on Mackinac Island, and Colonial Michilimackinac, Historic Mill Creek, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse and Michilimackinac State Park in Mackinaw City. The sites are accredited by the American Association of Museums. Visitor information is available on the Web at www.MackinacParks.com and by phone at (231) 436-4100.

Read more press releases from the Department of History, Arts and Libraries.