The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center wins State Award
SAINT JOSEPH - The Historical Society of Michigan has granted its 2009 Award for Special Programs and Events to The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center for its multi-faceted project, Working Waterfronts: Planning and Preserving the Maritime Traditions of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor.The Award was presented at the 135th Annual Meeting and State History Conference held on Mackinac Island, Michigan October 2-4.The State History Awards are the highest recognition offered by the state's official historical society and oldest cultural organization, established in 1828.
The Historical Society of Michigan granted the Special Programs andEvents Award to The Heritage for the many ways in which Working Waterfronts is being used to inform the public on maritime preservation issues that face Southwest Michigan's last working waterfront.St. Joseph is the only shoreline community in this region that can boast a combination of three commercial shipping terminals, a U.S. Coast Guard Station, two active lighthouses, one of the largest yacht clubs on the Great Lakes, a bevy of city owned and private marinas, and an equally wide range of historical structures representing this community's rich maritime heritage.
This special projectoffers two public exhibits.One is on the history of our "Working Waterfront."The other, Shipwrecks: A Deep Look, is complemented by a video documentary and related publication. Additional resources include curriculum guides for educators, lending kits for schools, a series of public programs and events, a website www.greatlakesworkingwaterfronts, and guided walking tours to historic maritime sites.Collaborations with the City of St. Joseph also produced a Maritime Heritage Trail of fourteen historical markers, and planning for the preservation and interpretation of the City's two historic lighthouses.
Kenneth Pott, Executive Director of The Heritage Museum, expressed his appreciation to the Historical Society of Michigan for recognizing a project that was designed to promote public awareness of the importance of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor's historic maritime traditions - as well as the continuing impact the waterfront has on our lives today."At one time, all roads, literally and figuratively, converged at the waterfront, Pott said.We need only look to the number of freighters that frequent our port today, and such large-scale initiatives as the Harbor Shores Development project, to see how the river and lake continue to play a most significant role in influencing the cultural and economic vitality of our community."
Working Waterfronts was produced by The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in collaboration with the City of St. Joseph and the Public History Program at Western Michigan University. For more information on The Heritage Museum and the various offerings of the Working Waterfronts project, please visit the website www.theheritagemcc.org or call 269-983-1191.
Tuesday, 07 July 2009 15:24
Press Release The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center Public Program-August 5, 2009
On Wednesday, August 5, at 7:00 pm, The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center will offer a program entitled, “In the Good Ole Summertime.” Connie Yore, owner of Days of Yore Antiques in St. Joseph, will present the program, which explores the history of the beach, sunbathing, and the beginnings of what makes our present day summer "cool," souvenirs, clothing, collectibles, and treats all related to summer. St. Joseph’s many summertime traditions, such as swimming at Silver Beach, have roots in the past. Attendees will learn about the invention of ice cream, Victorian era bathing costumes, how beaches became popular destinations, and how people stayed cool without air conditioning.
This program is part of The Heritage’s annual Public Program Series. The program is free for members of The Heritage and $5.00 for non-members. The Heritage is located at 601 Main Street, St. Joseph. Please call 269-983-1191 for more information.
Friday, 29 May 2009 16:11
Lighthouse and Coast Guard History Walking Tours
The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center will offer three walking tours on Lighthouse and Coast Guard History. Learn about the five different lighthouses that have stood in St. Joseph throughout history and take a rare tour of the Coast Guard Station and Lighthouse Depot. Lighthouse and Coast Guard History walking tours will be offered on three Fridays this summer: June 19, July 17, and August 14, at 10:00 am.
Walking Tours are free for members of The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center and $5 for non-members. Tours leave from Tiscornia Park; parking fee may apply at Tiscornia Park. All tours are weather permitting with rain dates to be determined. Registration for walking tours is preferred but we will do our best to accommodate walk-ins. Please call The Heritage at 269-983-1191 for information or to register.
Friday, 29 May 2009 16:09
"Yesterday on the West Michigan Pike"
Photographs by Vincent J. Musi
A new exhibit at The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center features the work of internationally acclaimed photographer Vincent J. Musi "Yesterday on the West Michigan Pike" consists of 40 striking color photographic prints taken during the summer of 2008, featuring people and places along U.S. Route 31, often referred to as "Michigan's Route 66." Known as "Beachtowns," some of the communities photographed include: New Buffalo, South Haven, Saugatuck/Douglas, Holland, Grand Haven, Muskegon, Hart, Ludington, and St. Joseph. The photos capture the timeless beauty and traditions of this unique sliver of Americana.
Vincent J. Musi's work is frequently seen in National Geographic Magazine. For more than 25 years, Mr. Musi has photographed diverse subjects including Traveling Route 66, The Lewis and Clark Trail, Life Under Volcanoes, Illegal Immigration and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Musi is also a contributor to Time, Newsweek, Life, Fortune and The New York Times Magazine.
Considered one of the nation's finest photographic essayists, Musi believes that pictures are meant to convey the essence of a particular subject. He has done a number of features on vanishing cultures and has a special interest in covering cultural subjects that are tied together by history. Regarding his travels along the Pike he added, "The journey is just as important as the destination and even though much of the original West Michigan Pike doesn't exist any more, the spirit and soul of what made it special still does."
Accompanying the exhibit are interpretive materials that define the historical origins of the West Michigan Pike, the photographer's written impressions of the region, and a brochure with more in-depth information about the West Michigan Pike.
The exhibit was produced by the Michigan Historical Center as part of the Southwest Michigan RoadMap collaborative project with BeachTowns, Inc. It was underwritten by the Michigan Humanities Council, Preserve America, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Berrien County Community Foundation, Frey Foundation, Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, Holland/Zeeland Area Community Foundation, Muskegon County Community Foundation, Fund for Mason County of the Community Foundation for Mason County, and the Upton Foundation.
"Yesterday on the West Michigan Pike" will be on display in the Research Library on the lower level at The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center, from June 2 to July 19. Admission to this exhibit is free. Also on display at The Heritage is the exhibit, "Working Waterfronts: Planning and Preserving the Maritime Traditions of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor." Admission to the Working Waterfronts exhibit is $5 for adults, $3 for ages 6-17, and free for Heritage members. The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center is located at 601 Main Street and is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10-4 and Sundays during the summer from 12-4.
Thursday, 26 March 2009 00:00
The Heritage Museum unveils "Working Waterfronts" exhibit
On March 27, 2009, The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center will open a new exhibit, "Working Waterfronts: Planning and Preserving the Maritime Traditions of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor." The exhibit will be open for two years, through March 2011.
With more coastal area than any other state in the continental U.S., Michigan and its surrounding Great Lakes have long served as one of our nation's most important maritime regions. In fact, during the early 1900s, waterborne trade on these "inland seas" actually rivaled that of the eastern and western seaboard states combined, contributing in a significant way to the industrialization and development of the American economy. Throughout this period, sailors, fishermen, and shipwrights were as much a part of Michigan's social and economic fabric as the farmer, miner, and lumberman.
In many maritime communities, as waterfronts changed in association with evolving economies, this remarkable maritime heritage was lost. Fortunately, the Twin Cities have managed to maintain a remarkable blend of surviving historic structures and living maritime industry that is virtually unique to the Great Lakes region. It is a heritage in transition, however, and one that demands our most immediate attention.
Not only will visitors to the exhibit enjoy a rich blend of images, artifacts and historical information, but the exhibit will also focus on the need to create awareness and dialogue regarding which historic structures and landscapes should be preserved - and how to plan for future uses and preservation of the waterfront. Engaging feedback stations will give visitors the chance to record their thoughts on related issues. The exhibit will also serve as a model for other Great Lakes communities to address their own issues of maritime preservation and waterfront development.
To demonstrate past local maritime activities, several unique artifacts will only be on display during the Working Waterfronts exhibit, including an original, late 19th century Truscott Boat crafted at St. Joseph's Truscott boatbuilding yard, the Fresnel Lens from St. Joseph's outer pier light, the bell from the passenger ship City of St. Joseph, examples of 19th century U.S. Life Saving Service equipment, and many others.
Generous contributions from the Guido A. and Elizabeth H. Binda Foundation, Ronald and Eva Kinney Family Foundation, The Warren and D. Lou Gast Charitable Foundation Trust, The Schalon Foundation, LaFarge Corporation, Central Dock Company LLC, Jack and Rita Kinney, and John and Mary Kinney have allowed The Heritage to move forward with the planning and design for this new presentation.
As with our last two award-winning exhibits, Working Waterfronts was developed in collaboration with a team of scholars and students from Western Michigan University's Public History Program. The Heritage staff worked with the local firms of Perry Ballard, and Zwartec Displays and Exhibits, on exhibit design and fabrication. Additionally, an Advisory Committee has assisted with exhibit planning and development. Committee members include officials from city government, local port and harbor authorities, maritime industry, and a number of related state and federal agencies.
As a companion to the Working Waterfront exhibit, The Heritage is also hosting the exhibit, Shipwrecks: A Deep Look, The Rise of the Self-Unloading Freighter. The Shipwrecks exhibit tells the story of the Hennepin, a Great Lakes freighter wrecked off the coast of South Haven. This ship has the amazing maritime legacy of being converted, in 1902, to the world's first "self-unloading" freighter. In 2006, Michigan Shipwrecks Research Association (MSRA) discovered the wreck of the Hennepin resting upright and amazingly intact in 230-feet of water.
The Shipwrecks exhibit also explores the Rockaway, a sailing schooner which was wrecked off the coast of South Haven in 1891. The Rockaway represents an earlier chapter in the history of Great Lakes shipping, before the advent of the self-unloader. Excavated by the Michigan Maritime Museum during the 1980s, some of the Rockaway's remarkably well-preserved artifacts are on display, including the ship's wheel and a crew member's leather boot. The presentation includes a documentary with a historical reenactment of its sinking, underwater video of the wreck site, and a rare, up-close look at the modern self-unloaders and their crews today. The Shipwrecks exhibit was sponsored by a grant from the Michigan Humanities Council, which is an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center is located at 601 Main Street, St. Joseph, MI. The Heritage is currently open from Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. From June through September, The Heritage will also be open on Sundays from 12:00 to 4:00 pm. Admission to the Working Waterfronts exhibit is $5.00 for adults. $3.00 for ages 6-17, and free for children 5 and under. Prices also include admission to the Shipwrecks exhibit. Members of The Heritage are always free. Tours and reduced group rates for adults and schools and available with advanced reservations. For more information, please call (269) 983-1191.