U.P. History, Culture To Be Discussed at June Conference

The Historical Society of Michigan’s 56th annual Upper Peninsula History Conference will be at Lake Superior State University (LSSU) in Sault Ste. Marie Friday, June 17, to Sunday, June 19, and will feature workshops, lectures, and tours geared for laymen and professional historians.

The meeting also kicks off a citywide 150th birthday celebration of the Soo Locks.

“We move the annual Upper Peninsula History Conference each year to feature a different area and the rich heritage of the U.P.,” said Larry Wagenaar, executive director of the Historical Society of Michigan. “It’s only fitting that we meet at such a historical crossroads like the Sault, which has been a focal point for human activity for thousands of years.”

Pre-conference activities begin Friday, June 17, at 9 a.m. with a workshop offered by Ellen Thackery of the Michigan Historic Preservation Network. Her presentation focuses on the preservation of historic properties, specifically how to save historical buildings at risk.

Ms. Thackery’s three-hour workshop offers ideas on how to preserve historic properties, obtain historic designations, and create local historic districts.

Tours are also on Friday’s agenda. One includes the River of History Museum, a narrated walk of Henry Schoolcraft’s office, a stroll through John Johnston’s home, and a guided lecture of the United States Coast Guard Station. The second tour is a narrated trip through the Soo Locks by boat. Participants will learn the area’s history while locking through between Lake Superior and the lower lakes.

An outdoor barbecue at 6 p.m. behind Lake Superior State University’s Cisler Center rounds out Friday’s agenda. Musicians Susan Askwith and David Stanaway will perform “Songs of the U.P.” during the barbecue.

Saturday’s activities commence at 9 a.m. with keynote speaker Jimmie Hobaugh, a retired Coast Guard captain, who will present his personal account of attempts he organized to rescue the crew of the famous Edmund Fitzgerald during the November storm in 1975 that sank the freighter in the waters of Lake Superior.

Following the keynote address, a block of three concurrent activities run between 9:45 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Army Corps of Engineers archivist Carmen Paris will explore the Soo Locks’ history and discuss the post-September 11 challenges in securing the Locks. Robert Money, a history professor at LSSU, will overview how the presence of military forts in the upper Great Lakes helped shaped the region’s history. He will talk about their influence, construction, operation, daily life, and how they compared to British and French counterparts.

A third activity examines grant writing for local historical societies and small museums. Hugh Culik of the Michigan Humanities Council will overview funding options for local societies and museums, including funding for public humanities projects, collaborative efforts to broaden and strengthen an organizational base, and exhibit outreach.

The second morning block, which will be from 11:15 a.m. to noon, offers three activities.

The first activity is a presentation by LSSU Professor Emeritus Bernie Arbic, author of Michigan history books. He will discuss the location of the Sault and its locks and how this poses unique security concerns.

The second activity looks at the history and culture of Chippewa Indians who lived in the Sault area. Bernard “Bud” Biron, the culture camp director of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, will lead this presentation.

Thomas Vranich rounds out the third concurrent session by offering tips on publishing historical books. He covers the entire process, from financial and production goals to content and marketing.

A noon luncheon features Frederick Stonehouse as keynote speaker. Mr. Stonehouse is a well-known author and authority on Michigan maritime issues. He will discuss Lake Superior shipwrecks that have yet to be found.

For Saturday afternoon, conference attendees can hear reports from U.P. historical groups or tour the Valley Camp and the Tower of History.

Saturday concludes with a banquet at 6 p.m. in the Cisler Center, followed by a screening at 8:30 p.m. of the film “The Enemy in Our Midst: Nazi Prisoner of War Camps in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.”

From 1944 to 1946, roughly 1,100 German prisoners of war were held in the U.P. at five Prisoner of War (POW) branch camps. The story of their captivity remains largely untold. This documentary reveals the story of the camps in great detail, capturing an aspect of World War II that many feared would fade into obscurity without being recorded.

U.P. journalists Jackie Chandonnet and John Pepin worked together to produce the independent film. They will give a pre-viewing presentation about German POWs working in the U.P. and the challenges of filming their story.

The conference concludes Sunday with a lecture at 9:30 a.m. about the International Bridge. A representative with the international authority that manages the bridge will talk about its construction in 1962 and the challenges that today’s security concerns pose.

Those interested in attending must register no later than Friday, June 10, by going online at www.michigan.org or calling toll free at (800) 692-1828. Members of the Historical Society of Michigan are eligible for a discount.

A discount is also offered to residents of Sault Ste. Marie, Bay Mills, and Brimley. Registration forms are available in Sault Ste. Marie at the Bayliss Library or at the Sault Convention and Visitors Bureau on 536 Ashmun Street, downtown.

People living in the Bay Mills/ Brimley area can pick up forms at the Superior Township Hall on M-221, at the Wheels of History Museum in Brimley; and at the main desk at Bay Mills Community College library.

For complete registration information, contact the Chippewa County Historical Society at (906) 635-7082, the Bay Mills-Brimley Research Society at (906) 248-3487, or the Historical Society of Michigan at (800) 692-1828.

The 56th annual U.P. History Conference is sponsored by the Historical Society of Michigan in cooperation with LSSU, Chippewa County Historical Society, and Bay Mills-Brimley Historical Research Society. The conference is also sponsored by the Roberts P. & Ella B. Hudson Foundation of Sault Ste. Marie.