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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 13, 2016
Contact: Sandra Clark, 517-373-6362 or Christiana Hanson, 517-241-6852
Michigan Historical Center celebrates statehood with Jan. 23 programming focused on 1830s life
The Michigan Historical Center in Lansing will commemorate the people who created our state – settlers, Native Americans, statesmen and townspeople – at its annual Statehood Day celebration Saturday, Jan. 23. Admission to the Michigan Historical Museum that day is free, courtesy of Jackson National Life.
On Jan. 26, 1837, more than a year after Michigan adopted its first constitution and elected its first governor, President Andrew Jackson signed the bill making Michigan the nation’s 26th state. The delay was caused by a controversy over whether Toledo would be part of Michigan or Ohio. The compromise that gave Michigan the western two thirds of the Upper Peninsula shaped Michigan's future of copper and iron riches, as well as timber and splendid natural resources.
The Michigan Historical Center encourages people across the state to celebrate the initiative of the leaders who first sought statehood, the compromise they made and all the extraordinary people who have built Michigan since then.
The Michigan Historical Center’s special celebration, starting at 10 a.m. and concluding at 3 p.m., will include opportunities to:
- Play with toys that children would have enjoyed in 1837, from nine pins to Jacob’s ladders.
- Learn about quilt-making in the 1830s, including designing and creating a felt quilt square.
- Enjoy a Michigan birthday cookie and learn about the spices available to cooks in the time of statehood.
- Experience Native American dance, beadwork and quillwork.
- View statehood documents, including Michigan's first constitution and a letter from President Andrew Jackson. For those who can’t make it to Lansing, some of these documents are available to view online at http://seekingmichigan.org/discover/early-documents.
A video about how Michigan became a state and statehood/settlement learning materials for teachers and students are available online.
The Statehood Day event is made possible in part by the Michigan History Foundation through a grant from the Michigan Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the sponsorship of Jackson National Life.
The Michigan Historical Center is located at 702 W. Kalamazoo St. in downtown Lansing. The museum and visitor parking are on the north side of Kalamazoo Street, two blocks east of M. L. King Jr. Boulevard. Weekend parking is free.
The Michigan Historical Center is part of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Its museum 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. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/mhc.
/Editors' note: Accompanying photos are available below for download. Suggested captions follow.
Statehood Day 1: The Michigan Historical Center's Statehood Day celebration Jan. 23 will include displays and demonstrations by Native American artists.
Statehood Day 2: Visitors will have a chance to design and create their own quilt square as part of the Michigan Historical Museum's Statehood Day celebration Jan. 23./
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.
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