July 2, 2009

The Michigan Iron Industry Museum, nestled in the foothills of the Marquette Iron Range in Negaunee Township, has received a $10,000 boost from the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) - funding that will help interpret Native American life in the region on the eve of changes wrought by Michigan's iron mining industry in the mid-1800s.

A commemorative check presentation to the Michigan Iron Industry Museum Advisory Board by KBIC Tribal Council President Warren Swartz is scheduled at 10 a.m. Friday, July 10, at the museum.

"Trailside interpretation is part of a $423,000 trail-development project that is funded in part by a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant and by private-sector donations to the Michigan History Foundation," said Thomas Friggens, a regional manager for the Michigan Historical Center. "This strong support from the Indian community will underwrite wayside exhibits about the Ojibwe people and their relationship with the natural world before the opening of the mining district."

The grant is funded from 2-percent gaming revenues awarded to the township, which will serve as a local government pass-through agency for the museum, according to Negaunee Township Supervisor William Carlson.

"Planned for pedestrian, bicycle and snowshoe use, thematic trail loops will offer exhibits, scenic overlooks and links with neighboring community trails," Friggens noted.

Upon its expected completion this fall, the museum trail system will feature:

• A Geology/Landforms Trail loop, where schoolchildren and families can discover the landforms that became the Marquette Iron Range;
• A Native Environment Trail loop, where kids and adults can identify plant life and learn how Native American peoples used rivers and forests;
• A Carp River Forge Trail loop, where visitors of all ages can explore how the environment influenced the developing industry and how industry brought change to the environment;
• The River Overlook, where visitors can gain understanding of the relationships between natural resources and a pioneer industry; and
• The Historic Corridor Overlook, where area residents and visitors can imagine the challenges of moving wrought iron between forge and harbor.

Scenic overlooks will become trail destinations that offer dramatic panoramic views, wayside exhibits and staging areas for education activities such as expert-led hikes by historians, geologists and wildlife biologists or programs offered by the Native American community, Friggens said.

Michigan Iron Industry Museum Advisory Board members like Chocolay Township resident Frida Waara are enthusiastic about trail plans and grateful for KBIC support. "This project combines Michigan's iron mining heritage and environmental stewardship with recreation-based education activities," Waara said, "while enhancing tourism, economic development and healthy living in the rural-industrial U.P."

Individual and business donors interested in supporting the project may contact the museum at (906) 475-7857. Gifts made to the Michigan Historical Center qualify for the Michigan Tax Credit as well as Federal Income Tax deductions.

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 overlooks 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.

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.