Black Iron Days Festival at Hartwick Pines Aug. 22-23

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 18, 2015

Contact: Kenneth R. Pott, 989-348-2537


Hartwick Pines to host Black Iron Days Festival Aug. 22-23

On Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 22 and 23, Hartwick Pines Logging Museum in Grayling, Michigan, will host the annual Black Iron Days Festival. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, the largest gathering of blacksmiths in the state will shape iron into a range of practical and decorative items. The sights, sounds and scents of a 1912 steam-powered sawmill cutting pine logs into boards will add to the activity at the site. Other craft demonstrations will include period music, woodworking, weaving and wool spinning.              

Located in Hartwick Pines State Park, the Logging Museum is a field site of the Michigan Historical Museum and interprets the white pine logging era of 1840-1910.  It is one of 11 nationally accredited museums administered by the Michigan Historical Center, an agency within the Department of Natural Resources. The Black Iron Days Festival is sponsored by the Friends of Hartwick Pines, and all proceeds go toward the interpretive and educational programs offered at Hartwick Pines State Park. 

For more information about Black Iron Days or other programs at Hartwick Pines, please call 989-348-2537 or visit www.michigan.gov/hartwickpinesvc. There is no charge for attending Black Iron Days, but a Recreation Passport is required for park entry. 

The Michigan Historical Center’s museums and archival programs help people discover, enjoy and find inspiration in their heritage.  It includes the Michigan Historical Museum, 10 regional museums, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve, and the Archives of Michigan. 

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.