Historical Commission approves seven new markers, four marker applications

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 17, 2014

Contact: Sandra Clark, 517-373-6362 or Ed Golder, 517-284-5815


Michigan Historical Commission approves seven new historical markers
and four marker applications

The Port Huron Statement, Scout Barracks on Mackinac Island, the St. Francis Solanus Indian Mission near Petoskey, the Hartford Memorial Baptist Church congregation in Detroit, Historic Gagetown in Tuscola County, an ice house in Marshall and a replacement marker for the State Capitol in Lansing are the subjects of seven new Michigan State Historical Markers approved by the Michigan Historical Commission at its December meeting. The session convened in the Benson Ford Research Center at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan.

• In June 1962, college students met at a United Auto Workers camp in St. Clair County to fashion a manifesto calling for a “truly democratic” society. The statement was the catalyst for the student movement in the U.S. in the 1960s.
  
  
• The Scout Barracks outside Fort Mackinac, built in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps, has housed Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts who serve as tour guides and honor guard for the fort. Future President Gerald Ford was one of eight Eagle Scouts who served that first year. The building is on the parade ground that served as a military drill site and home field for the fort "base ball" club in the 19th century.
  
  
• The Indian Mission marker tells the story of a church made possible by Odawa and Ojibwa people, a French trader and Catholic clerics, including Bishop Frederic Baraga. One side of the marker is presented in the Odawa language. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
  
  
• The marker for the Hartford Memorial Baptist Church congregation commemorates the first African American church on Detroit’s west side. Through its ministries, the church has led civil and equal rights efforts, including the organization of the UAW at the Ford Motor Company. The congregation moved into its current building in 1977.
  
  
• Gagetown originated in the 1860s and flourished when the railroad came to town in 1882. The Purdy family helped establish the bank and their octagonal barn is now an agricultural museum.
  
  
• The Gauss Ice House tells the story of how ice blocks were once harvested from the Kalamazoo River mill pond and stored in structures using sawdust or straw. Ice boxes in homes and businesses eventually were replaced when electric refrigerators became common in the 1930s. 
  
  
• The State Capitol marker, originally dedicated in 1957 and replaced in 1980, now will feature images of all three capitol buildings and more comprehensive text. The Capitol is a National Landmark.

The sponsors of the new markers will purchase and erect them over the coming months, adding them to more than 1,700 familiar green and gold signs found across Michigan and in out-of-state locations. 

The commission also accepted applications for new markers for WGPR TV Channel 62 in Detroit, the Hiawatha Indian Play on the North Western State Trail near Petoskey, Downtown Buchanan’s Historic District, and the summertime experiences of conservation pioneer Aldo Leopold on Marquette Island near Hessel. Professional historians at the Michigan Historical Center will now confirm the research, work with the sponsors to draft the marker texts, and make recommendations for final approval at a future commission meeting.

Since 1955, the Michigan Historical Marker program has chronicled the people, places and events that make Michigan's heritage unique and unforgettable. Each is a tangible reminder of where we have come from and an inspiration for where we might go. For more information on the historical marker program, including application information, visit www.michigan.gov/markers.

The Michigan Historical Commission has been part of the preservation and recognition of Michigan's history since 1913. For more information on the commission, go to www.michigan.gov/mhcommission.

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/michiganhistory.

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.