Feb. 15, 2006

Mackinaw City, Mich. — Teachers across Michigan are bringing history to life for their students by inviting British redcoats and French voyageurs into their classrooms. When the historic interpreters of Mackinac State Historic Parks (MSHP) present “Historic Mackinac on Tour,” students participate in an hour-long program, trying on colonial-era clothes, listening and dancing to music, and examining and trading furs. (Program schedule follows.)

“It is one thing to read about people and events that make up history, but it is another thing to actually see it happening in front of you,” said MSHP Museum Educator Katie Cederholm. “This program brings a new understanding of Michigan history to students.  When they hear, smell, see, touch and participate in the past they appreciate it on another level, and it can create a spark of interest that was not there before.”

The program has proven popular, reaching 143,476 Michigan students since its beginning in 1988, and winning an Award of Merit from the Historical Society of Michigan.

Historic interpreters pack large trunks full of historic items and bring Mackinac’s French, British and American Indian stories into the classroom. The interpreters dress as 18th-century British redcoats and French colonial voyageurs, play bagpipes and fiddle, and teach hands-on Mackinac history during the one-hour education programs.

“Historic Mackinac on Tour” is the only statewide museum education outreach program in Michigan. The program is partially funded by Mackinac Associates, a non-profit membership group that supports MSHP’s programs.

The program dovetails with a series of educational offerings from MSHP that include a natural history program, educational curriculum materials, “loaner” artifact boxes for teachers, group classroom trips and special evening and overnight programs at Fort Mackinac and Colonial Michilimackinac.

Mackinac State Historic Parks, a family of living history museums and parks in Northern Michigan’s Straits of Mackinac region, is an agency within the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries. Sites include Fort Mackinac, Historic Downtown and Mackinac Island State Park on Mackinac Island, and Colonial Michilimackinac, Historic Mill Creek, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse and Michilimackinac State Park in Mackinaw City. The sites are accredited by the American Association of Museums. Visitor information is available on the Web at www.MackinacParks.com and by phone at (231) 436-4100.

"HISTORIC MACKINAC ON TOUR" SCHEDULE

Feb. 16 at 10 a.m.     

Lakeland Elementary, 616 Buckley, Elk Rapids

Contact: Mary Thayer, (231) 264-8289          

Feb. 17 at 12:30 p.m.     

Turner Howson Elementary, 11183 W Turner Howson Rd., Rudyard

Contact:  Gail Cornwell, (906) 478-4551

Feb. 21 at 10:30 a.m. and 12:45 p.m.     

Concord Academy, 2468 Atkins, Petoskey                     

Contact:  Alta Munson, (231) 439-6800          

Feb 22 at 9:15 and 10:30 a.m. 

Charlevoix Elementary, 13513 Division, Charlevoix        

Contact:  Richard Swenor, (231) 547-3215

Feb. 22 at 1 p.m.     

St Francis Xavier Catholic School, 414 Michigan St., Petoskey         

Contact:  Mary Ann Evans, (231) 347-3651              

Feb. 23 at 8:30 and 9:40 a.m.   

Boyne City Elementary, 930 Brockway, Boyne City       

Contact:  Jen Spate, (231) 439-8200          

Feb. 27 at 1 and 2 p.m.  

East Elementary, 440 Garfield Ave., Cheboygan       

Contact:  Sue Gimble Crandell, (231) 627-5211  

March 6 at 12:30 p.m.

Central Elementary, 410  State St., Petoskey         

Contact:  Karen Thompson, (231) 348-2110  

March 7 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Cherry Street Intermediate School, 315 S. Cherry St., Kalkaska          

Contact:  Ann Ballou, (231) 258-9146          

March 20 at 1 p.m.

St. Mary's Elementary School, 321 N. Otsego Ave., Gaylord

Contact:  Nancy Wind, (989) 732-5801    

March 22 at 1 and 2:10 p.m.

Boyne Middle School, 321 S. Park St., Boyne City     

Contact:  Carol Johnson, (231) 439-8200          

March 23 at 8:30 and 9:25 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Gaylord Intermediate Schools, 240 E. 4th St., Gaylord

Contact:  Dave Grandlund, (989) 731-0856          

March 24 at 10 a.m.

Manistique Elementary, 100 N. Cedar St., Manistique       

Contact:  Jason Lockword, (906) 341-4313                                  

April 3 at 9:30 a.m. and noon

Rogers City Elementary, 532 W. Erie, Rogers City     

Contact:  Beth Getzinger, (989) 734-9150

April 4 at 11:30 a.m. and 1:35 p.m.

Long Rapids Elementary, 12595 Long Rapids Rd., Lachine

Contact:  Tom Atkinson, (989) 358-5734

April 5 at 1:30 p.m.

Brimley Elementary, 7134 S. M-221, Brimley

Contact:  Alyssa Teeple, (906) 248-3217

April 6 at 9 and 10:15 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Washington Elementary, 1200 Ryan Ave., Sault Ste. Marie

Contact:  Edward Chevillot, (906) 635-6629          

April 7 at 1:15 p.m.

Lincoln Elementary School, 309 W. Lake St., Alpena 

Contact:  Sheryl Godfrey, (989) 358-5900          

April 7 at 10:30 a.m.

Sunset Elementary, 1421 Hobbs Dr., Alpena 

Contact:  Pauline Burnham, (989) 358-5840          

April 10 at 9:45 a.m. and noon

Bellaire Elementary, 204 W. Forrest Home Ave., Bellaire

Contact:  Peggy Stasko, (231) 533-8141          

April 11 at 8:15 and 10:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.

Shay Elementary, 175 E. Lake Rd., Harbor Springs  

Contact:  Robin Kredell, (231) 526-4500          

April 12 at noon

Ottawa Elementary, 871 Kalamazoo, Petoskey         

Contact:  Denny Phelps, (231) 348-2130          

April 13 at 12:30 p.m.

Ellsworth Elementary, 9467 Park St., Ellsworth          

Contact:  Betsy Randall, (231) 588-2544          

April 13 at 10 a.m.

St Mary's, 1005 Bridge St., Charlevoix        

Janet Tropman, (231) 547-9441

Read more press releases from the Department of History, Arts and Libraries.