Reference Point

Pure Michigan Up north is Exhibit explores Little Traverse Bay from 1890 to 1920 While the state's Pure Michigan marketing campaign looks to drive Michigan tourism, Clarke Historical Library is demonstrating how a similar concept impacted northern Michigan more than 100 years ago. Through vintage maps, photographs, books and postcards the current Clarke exhibit – "A Delightful Destination: Little Traverse Bay at the Turn of the Century" – explores the region's transportation, cultural and economic growth during this colorful period between 1890 and 1920. "We think people will see their own part of northern Michigan in this exhibit," says Michael Federspiel, CMU history faculty member and primary researcher for the exhibit that premiered in February. "When people who visit the Clarke exhibit learn about what people did at the turn of the century, they're likely to think, 'We still do that,' in Alpena, Traverse City or other places around the Great Lakes or inland lakes. " Near the turn of the century, passenger ships on the Great Lakes, as well as train lines that ran from as far away as Kansas City, Kan., and St. Louis, Mo., brought people to Petoskey, Harbor Springs and the surrounding areas to vacation in northern Michigan. Visitors made quick day trips, weeklong getaways, or extended month- and season-long vacations. "It was an area searching for what it would become," Federspiel says. " Federspiel hopes the exhibit encourages visitors to investigate for themselves since many of the attractive elements that drew visitors to Michigan in the past still draw them today. • "We're trying to tell the story of the region and how it dealt with the transition from a past lumbering place to a summer paradise. Connecting with northern Michigan Exhibit also appearing in Harbor Springs Strengthening its outreach to northern Michigan, Clarke Historical Library will present "A Delightful Destination: Little Traverse Bay at the Turn of the Century" at the Harbor Springs History Museum in June after it closes in the Library's exhibit galleries. The exhibit directly ties into a documentary about the Little Traverse Bay region that CMU Public Television produced and will debut at the International Hemingway Society Conference June 17-22 in Petoskey. "To me this is a tremendous example of a win-win situation for both the Harbor Springs Area Historical Society and Clarke Historical Library, Michael Federspiel, a CMU history faculty member. " says Federspiel worked closely with both entities when he developed his book, "Picturing Hemingway's Michigan." Harbor Springs History Museum Through the ongoing relationship, Clarke Historical Library's collection now includes many digital versions of the photographs from the Harbor Springs Area Historical Society's permanent collection. "Relationships like this are extremely important in networking smaller, local organizations with larger established organizations, director of the Harbor Springs Area Historical Society and Harbor Springs History Museum. "Now people doing scholarly or personal research through the Clarke Library or its website can get a glimpse into our historical society's collection. Also, through the upcoming exhibit, our local museum visitors and members have an opportunity to learn more about our area's history from a new perspective. " says Mary Cummings, executive " • 9

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