Preservationists Seek Program Ideas, Advice

The Historic Preservation Committee is seeking to start a new chapter in Mackinac Island history. Their challenge is to preserve the Island's historic structures and retain the Island's unique features and ambiance, blending them with modern world demands.

"You guys don't have to create an authentic experience, you already have an authentic experience," said Historical Architect Robb McKay. "You need to maintain that."

Mr. McKay works in the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office and spoke to the committee August 3, answering questions and offering advice.

"You need to look at what are the things that make that experience," he said. "What are the things that create that environment? What is the thing that creates the attraction, and how are you going to protect it?"

Mackinac Island is rooted in American history, and the architecture reflects its heritage, he said.

"The Island has an interesting collection of historic periods," said Mr. McKay, "some very high-style and some not so high-style, and it's that combination of environments that really makes the Island unique."

Several good preservation and economic development programs exist, he said, including the Main Street Michigan project, which has benefited a number of communities, including Calumet. Calumet, he noted, has many of Mackinac's historic features and challenges. The Main Street project requires the community hire a manager to oversee the economic development and preservation, he said, but Mackinac Island could use the program outline on its own, to guide the community through a similar process.

Committee members are taking Mr. McKay's advice and plan to meet with Tom Tikkanen, executive director of Calumet Main Street initiative, Friday, September 21, to learn about the program.

Communities that have a preservation program have a fairly large educated and motivated community base, he told the committee. There is a recognition that character is one of the things that makes that community desirable. Also, those communities realize preservation is not happening the way it should be happening. Residents in communities like Marshall, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Ann Arbor already have made a commitment to maintain the character of their community.

"They have a great deal riding on the quality of their environment," he said, "which is directly related to their historic resources."

These communities have been successful because all of them "are actively identifying, designating, and protecting their historic resources."

The Main Street program relies on design, promotion, and economic restructuring. The program offers design assistance to communities, including appropriate architectural treatments.

The Main Street program is a part of the National Trust, which was first to recognize the importance of revitalizing and redeveloping a town's main street based on its own character.

The program relies heavily on volunteers, he said. Each community has a Main Street manager and that person administers the volunteer base.

The Main Street program works well in smaller communities. Other Main Street communities include Boyne City, Marshall, Portland, Muskegon, Iron River, and Clare.

"There is a sense of the historic character, historic buildings, historic fabric in the community," said Mr. McKay, "as they play a vital role in maintaining the community."

Leaders work with business owners to get them to recognize that building design and character affects their business, he said, and the kinds of clientele they will draw.

The public is welcome to attend the next committee meeting Friday, September 21, at 10 a.m. on the second floor of Community Hall.