April 29, 2009

The Michigan Iron Industry Museum today announced its summer schedule, complete with family-friendly and educational activities for visitors of all ages. Whether tastes run from music to classic cars and artillery demonstrations, or from costumed interpretation to 19th-century children's games, visitors to the Negaunee Township museum can expect a "pure Michigan" experience.

In addition, a July/August weekday lecture series will cover Upper Peninsula dialects, abandoned mine sites, the storied history of the Soo Locks, and many other programs. "Our lectures cover Native Americans, the ?barefoot boys of Fayette' and even treasures from the museum collections at Mackinac State Historic Parks," said Thomas Friggens, a regional manager for the Michigan Historical Center. "Consider a visit to our Iron Industry Museum a chance to enjoy ?summer school' with historic appeal."

The Michigan Iron Industry Museum summer 2009 schedule includes:

• May 17 - Museum Open House, with White Water in concert (featuring traditional music from Michigan's past) and light refreshments. Concert tickets are $7 per adult, $3 for children ages 5-12, and free for younger children.



• May 31 - Miners Memorial Day Observance, remembering workers who lost their lives in the mines, featuring dramatic readings, program and an opening reception for the photographic exhibit "Vanishing Horizons: Abandoned Mining Sites in the Upper Peninsula" with light refreshments.



• May 31 to July 12 - Temporary exhibit, "Vanishing Horizons: Abandoned Mining Sites in the Upper Peninsula," featuring the pinhole photography of Christine Flavin, Northern Michigan University.



• June 21 - "Iron, Steel and the Automobile: 20th Annual Antique Auto Exhibit," featuring more than 50 vintage automobiles and light trucks from the 1910s to 1969; live jazz and swing performances by the Bluffs Orchestra.



• July 14 - Lecture Series: "The Barefoot Boys of Fayette and Other Stories from U.P. History," presented by children's author Ragene Henry.



• July 21 - Lecture Series: "Mackinac Treasures: The Museum Collections of Mackinac State Historic Parks" presented by Steven Brisson, Mackinac State Historic Parks.



• July 28 - Lecture Series: "Defending Our Borders: The USCG and the Soo Locks" presented by Capt. Mark Huebschman, U.S. Coast Guard.



• Aug. 1-2 - "Iron Ore and the Civil War," a living history encampment featuring military and civilian camp life during the Civil War; dramatic portrayals of President and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln; cannon and small-arms demonstrations; campfire cooking demonstrations; music; and children's activities.



• Aug. 4 - Lecture Series: "Vanishing Horizons: Abandoned Mining Sites in the Upper Peninsula" presented by Christine Flavin, Northern Michigan University.



• Aug. 11 - Lecture Series: "Sounding Out a Regional Dialect: Michigan's Upper Peninsula Vowel System Project" presented by Wil A. Rankinen, Indiana University.



• Aug. 18 - Lecture Series: "Native Americans and the Discovery of Iron Ore" presented by John Anderton, Northern Michigan University.



• Sept. 19-20 - "Autumn Harvest Festival," featuring family fun; music; story-telling; pony rides; pumpkin painting; paper mask-making; children's games; craft demonstrations; light refreshments.

Located in forested ravines eight miles west of Marquette, the Michigan Iron Industry Museum tells the story of Michigan's three iron ranges and the hard-working immigrants who helped build modern America.

Overlooking the Carp River and the site of the region's first iron forge, exhibits and outdoor paths interpret the large-scale capital and human investment that made Michigan an industrial leader. An 18-minute program, shown seven times daily, presents the colorful story of immigrant and community life in the Upper Peninsula.

Visitors will also find a wide selection of unique books, games, jewelry, apparel and other Michigan-related specialty items at the Museum Store.

Museum events are funded in part by visitor donations and the Michigan Iron Industry Museum Advisory Board's Frank G. Matthews, Sr. Memorial Fund.

The Michigan Iron Industry Museum is one of 11 nationally accredited museums administered by the Michigan Historical Center, a public, non-profit facility of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries. It is located at 73 Forge Road, overlooking the site of the Carp River Forge, a pioneer industrial site listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The recently expanded museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free; donations are encouraged. For more information about museum programs call (906) 475-7857 or visit online at www.michigan.gov/ironindustrymuseum.

The Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL) is dedicated to enriching quality of life and strengthening the economy by providing access to information, preserving and promoting Michigan's heritage and fostering cultural creativity. In addition to the Michigan Historical Center, HAL includes the Library of Michigan, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. To learn more, visit www.michigan.gov/hal.

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