Our last two programs of the summer season are this month. We have a presentation on Native American beadwork on August 9 and a presentation about the history of the Mackinac Bridge on August 23.
The Michilimackinac Historical Society Board of Directors are hosting an open house to thank Bill Peek for his services as the society’s Interim Director. Bill has served in many roles for MHS for more than 10 years. He has been the Curator for Fort de Buade Museum, a board member, board president, a volunteer, a leader of the capital campaign to build a new museum, and lastly, as the interim director.
As he hands our new executive director, Molly Paquin, the reins, we want to thank Bill for his many contributions to the growth of the Michilimackinac Historical Society and the Fort de Buade Museum as it transitions to the Straits Cultural Center.
The open house will be on August 6, 2023 from 4-6pm at the Straits Cultural Center; 20 S. State St., St. Ignace. All are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served.
The Michilimackinac Historical Society Board of Directors, at their June 15 meeting, hired Molly M. Paquin of St. Ignace as its new Executive Director.
Paquin will replace Interim Director Bill Peek, who served the interim role since 2021.
Paquin has over 40 years of experience in the museum and nonprofit world. A graduate of the Lake Superior State University Masters of Business Administration program with a focus in nonprofit management, she has served on the local historical society board for a year and a half and volunteered in various capacities with the organization.
After graduating from Michigan State University with two bachelor degrees, Paquin was curator of collections and public information director for the Mason County Historical Society’s White Pine Village and the Rose Hawley Museum in Ludington. She then went on to serve as director of the Tri-Cities Historical Museum in Grand Haven. From there she became a museum consultant and then worked as director of the Museum of Ojibwa Culture in St. Ignace for nine years.
Paquin was then the first director of Habitat For Humanity of the Eastern Upper Peninsula and then director of the United Way of the Eastern Upper Peninsula. She most recently served as a Senior Community Development Manager for the American Cancer Society for nine years.
“I appreciate the opportunity to work with the Historical Society Board, volunteers, staff and the many donors who have so much passion and commitment to seeing the history of the Michilimackinac region showcased in the new Cultural Center,” Paquin said. “Our region’s history is so critical to the history of our State and our local history deserves to be shared with our local residents, our children and with the visitors to our area. I look forward to helping see the project through to fruition,” she added.
She has served as a past secretary of the Michigan Museums Association and was a director on the Michigan Humanities Council. She currently serves as secretary of the St. Ignace Area Creative Arts Council, and is active in Keeping the Piece Quilters’ Guild’s Quilt Study Group. She is currently researching quilts made from scraps left over in various Michigan textile industries. Paquin also volunteers with the Mackinac County Animal Aid Association and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
“I’m excited to have Molly as a member of the MHS staff. She brings experience and expertise to the Executive Director position and I’m very much looking forward to working with her.”, said David Kunze, President of the Michilimackinac Historical Society.
“The Historical Society will honor outgoing Interim Director Bill Peek at an open house at the Straits Cultural Center, 20 North State Street, St. Ignace, on Sunday, August 6 from 4 to 6 pm. The public is invited to this event to thank Bill for his service, welcome Molly in her new role, and learn about the progress of the center’s development, and view architectural drawings and exhibit plans,” Kunze added.
Paquin can be reached at mpaquin.mhs@gmail.com or by calling 906-984-2234. Her office is in the Michigan Made Store, 330 N. State Street. The Store is operated by the Historical Society to fund operations.
July is a month full of programs. We have an evening to meet UP authors, cemetery tours, a duck decoy making workshop, and a presentation about duck decoy carving.
Through the generous support of the Michigan Arts & Culture Council, all presentations are free to attend. If you are interested in attending a workshop, please note the associated fee. To learn more about the programs and workshops, and to register, click here.
The support and enthusiasm for the Bridging History Celebration has been remarkable. Tickets for this event have been sold out. Still interested in attending, but missed the opportunity to purchase tickets? Fear not! Cancellations do happen and those tickets will become available. For information about the event or ticket availability, please call or email Susan Massaway, (906) 984-2234 or smassaway.mhs@gmail.com.
Starting tomorrow, June 16, our store will be open Monday - Saturday 10am to 6pm, Sunday 11am to 4pm.
Mark your calendars and get your tickets. The MHS Bridging History Celebration is next month and tickets are going fast. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. To become a sponsor or purchase tickets, click here. Learn more about this year’s recipients for the MHS Bridge Award for Historical Impact here.
This month marks the beginning of our 2023 programs.
June 14, 7pm | Michigan in the Civil War with Al & David Eicher
June 28, 7pm | CCC Camps in Michigan with Hillary Pine
These free in-person programs are hosted at the St. Ignace Public Library. Register for the programs here.
Mark your calendar for the second annual MHS Bridging History Celebration. Tickets will be available later this month. Sponsorship opportunities are still available.
Our 2023 program schedule is complete. This year we have partnered with the St. Ignace Public Library who will host our programs which will be held on Wednesday evenings. Through the generous support of the Michigan Arts & Culture Council, all presentations are free to attend. If you are interested in attending a workshop, please note the associated fee. To learn more about the programs and workshops, and to register, click here.
Join us on April 14 for the opening of a new online exhibit on our website. “Straits Area Playcrafters: Back in the Spotlight” offers an overview of the popular theatre group, shares memories, and shines a spotlight on all who were involved – from on the stage to behind the scenes to the hosts and ushers who greeted and guided the audience to their seats. This exhibit is similar to the physical exhibit presented in the Sweetgrass Gallery in the Fort de Buade Museum. The online version offers a more detailed history and synopsis of the plays performed by the group. To see our newest exhibit or revisit past online exhibits, click here.
March 2023
BIG NEWS! MHS has been awarded $1 million in Federal appropriation from the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration committee through the support of Senator Debbie Stabenow. Receiving this award means that renovation of the Straits Cultural Center building can begin. In the near future we will start the process of selecting a general contractor to oversee the construction. As work on the building progresses, we will share updates and photographs on the MHS website under the “Straits Cultural Center” tab.
Our 2023 program schedule is complete. This year we have partnered with the St. Ignace Public Library who will host our programs which will be held on Wednesday evenings. Through the generous support of the Michigan Arts & Culture Council, all presentations are free to attend. If you are interested in attending a workshop, please note the associated fee. To learn more about the programs and workshops, and to register, click here.
February 2023
Each month we use this E-news to highlight an object from the museum’s collection that is available to be sponsored. Perhaps you have been interested in sponsoring an artifact, but have not found one that strikes your interest. We have good news for you! New artifacts have recently been added to the sponsorship page on our website. Click here to view the new objects and consider sponsoring one today.
January 2023
New Online Exhibit: The new online exhibit “Glass from the Past” is now available. Filled with pictures, this exhibit offers a tour through MHS’s historic bottle collection. The bottles date from the 1700s to the mid-1900s and include bottles made in Europe and the United States. Methods for identifying and aging bottles, and glass bottle making processes are discussed. Click here to view the exhibit.
