May 20, 2009

In November 1926 - less than a week after the Barnes-Hecker Mine cave-in near Ishpeming claimed 51 lives in Michigan's worst mining accident - a local Methodist minister told mourners: "In a few days - Armistice Day - we shall be thinking of the many thousands who in the Great War gave their lives that we might have freedom. Shall we not also include all those who in the course of their duty in the mine ... made the supreme sacrifice?"

On Sunday, May 31, the Michigan Iron Industry Museum, in Negaunee Township, will host the museum's second annual "Mine Workers Memorial Day Observance."

A time of community gathering and reflection, the special observance will feature speakers, dramatic readings and light refreshments, as well as the opening of a new temporary photographic exhibit by Christine Flavin, of Marquette, titled "Vanishing Horizons: Abandoned Mining Sites in the Upper Peninsula."

Guests are invited to register the names of family members and others who lost their lives in the mines, for permanent record in the museum library.

"A poignant highlight of the activities will be the recitation of the 1926 eulogy offered by the Reverend Lewis Keast, in memory of Barnes-Hecker victims just four days after the tragedy," said Thomas Friggens, a regional manager with the Michigan Historical Center. The Reverend Robert Dobson, a retired pastor of the United Methodist Church, will present the eulogy - the first time it has been heard in public since Nov. 7, 1926.

Memorial observances will be followed by an opening reception for "Vanishing Horizons," including a companion program by photographer Christine Flavin. Flavin is an assistant professor in the NMU School of Art and Design where she teaches studio photography and the history of photography.

"We are delighted to display Ms. Flavin's innovative work in this six-week exhibit featuring images taken with zone plate and panoramic pinhole cameras," Friggens said. "Her ghostly photographs capture scenes of once bustling labor, now hauntingly empty of human presence." The indoor program begins at 1:30 p.m. Admission is free.

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, in Negaunee Township, 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. 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.