Mackinac State Historic Parks Volume XXXV Mackinac Associates 2015 Issue 2 Students Save for Decade, Make Donation to Mackinac Associates ne million of something. elementary school trips to the Straits big of a number a million is, even But more than just an opportunity That’s what Tom Byrum of Mackinac and to Mackinac State of something small,” Byrum said. for bonus points and bragging rights, Owanted his students to see. Historic Parks’ sites, twenty-three of A decade ago he began encouraging the pop can tabs have some value as Well, that and the Straits of Macki- those as a teacher. his students to bring in pop can tabs aluminum scrap. Once the goal was nac. And 10 years ago, the idea for a in exchange for participation bonus met, and the 616 pounds of tabs were For two-and-a-half decades, Tom very special project took hold. points. While some more entrepre- delivered to the scrap yard, Byrum Byrum has planned and chaperoned “I wanted my students to see how neurial students saw an opportunity received a check for $308. to bring in thousands, it was still That $308 was then donated to a long time before the one million Mackinac Associates, specifically to goal was met. the education scholarship fund. That Gallon size bags held 4,500 same fund helped Byrum bring an individual tabs and were stored estimated 7,000 students and count- under tables in Byrum’s classrooms, ing to the area. first at Delton-Kellogg Elementary “Having been a teacher for so outside of Battle Creek, and then many years, I still get invited to a lot at Hopkins Elementary south of of graduation parties,” Byrum said. Grand Rapids. And as the classroom “And every single one of those stu- filled, other spots around the school dents has pictures from their trip to became the temporary home for the Mackinac pinned up on their board. more than 200 bags. It always makes me happy to see how special their trip was for them. “We couldn’t have kept coming up if we didn’t have the help from Mackinac Asso- ciates. We just wanted to give back.” A donation 10 years in the making, helping to continue inspiring a lifelong love of Mack- inac. Michilimackinac Wraps Up Tricentennial Summer of Special Programs More than a dozen weekends cooking, the Catholic church of special interpretive program- Ste. Anne de Michilimacki- ming comprised the celebration nac, archaeology programs, to of Fort Michilimackinac’s the Native American impact, 300th birthday this summer. French Voyageurs, Soldiers for There aren’t many things in the King, and more. Michigan that can boast hitting Though the special program- the three-century mark. ming for the weekends has con- “Because Michilimackinac’s cluded, Fort Michilimackinac history is so rich and diverse, is still honoring its tricentennial we wanted to take this oppor- with a special scavenger hunt tunity to highlight the people available to guests, signature and events that helped shape apparel, and a “Michilimacki- the stories we know today,” nac: 300 Years” tour, along with said Craig Wilson, museum its regular, in-depth and hands- historian and site supervisor for on demonstrations of various Colonial Michilimackinac. components of life at the fort. “It was definitely fun for the “I can’t think of a better staff to try new things we don’t way to honor all 300 years of normally do, change up some of Michilimackinac’s history than the tours and programs. We had to include our visitors, immerse great responses to the varying them in that history, as we have demonstrations,” he said. every day this summer,” said Weekends ranged in subject Wilson. matter from gardening and Friends Preserving and Sharing Mackinac’s Heritage Peace Garden Dedicated, Bicentennial Commemoration Closes For the past three years, Mackinac the return of Fort Mackinac to the Mackinac once more. Finally, the completed recon- State Historic Parks has commemo- United States by the British, 200 The addition of the Mackinac struction of Fort Holmes, a British rated the bicentennial of the War of years to the hour of when it hap- Island Peace Garden to Marquette fort built during the War of 1812 1812 in a variety of ways. pened in 1815. The program includ- Park symbolizes the 200 years of and spending the last 200 years in Special interpretive programs, ed a narrated history of the event peace between the United States and varying stages of construction and tours, and battle reenactments where a number of soldiers yelled Canada along the longest undefend- disrepair now once against sits more culminated in three major events to “huzzah!” as the British colors de- ed border in the world. A custom than 300 feet above the Great Lakes close the bicentennial this summer. scended the Fort Mackinac flag pole piece of sculpture entitled “Be Still” and the town below. July 18 featured a reenactment of and the Stars and Stripes flew over stands at the center of the garden. And now, the small island that Michigan Governor was the site of the first land skirmish Rick Snyder and Consul of the war, a surprise attack that General Douglas George put Mackinac Island under British of Canada were among control with a single shot 203 years the honored guests for ago, is once again, and forevermore, the ribbon cutting and at peace. dedication. Left: Mackinac Island State Park Commission Chairman Chuck Yob, Consul General of Canada Douglas George, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, Repatriation Specialist for the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians Eric Hemenway, and Mayor of Mackinac Island Margaret Doud cut the ribbon dedicating the Mackinac Island Peace Garden. Right: Interpreters dressed as American and British soldiers watch as the British flag is lowered and the American flag raised over Fort Mackinac, as it was on that day 200 years prior. 250-Year-Old Rosary Highlight of Summer, Decades Unseen, untouched, undiscovered delicate ivory and brass rosary pulled artifacts such as medallions and even and the rosary was on display by the for more than two centuries, the from the earth this June. pieces of rosaries are often found at end of July. archaeological excavation site at Co- “It’s an exciting find for a number the site. The display is temporary at this lonial Michilimackinac has not been of reasons,” said Phil Porter, director With the excitement that followed point. The rosary still needs to be short on treasures this summer. for Mackinac State Historic Parks. the rosary’s discovery, not just for properly conserved and cleaned and Since 1959, a little bit more of the “It’s fully intact without any breaks the members of the archaeology crew a more permanent location for its historic fort in Mackinaw City has in the chain and may only be missing and staff, but visitors to the site, a display will be determined at a later been uncovered as archaeologists one or two beads.” concerted effort was made to get the date. scrape away the soil a fraction of an But its not the beads that are miss- artifact prepped and on display as Additionally, research into the inch at a time. ing, rather the beads that are pres- quickly as possible. meaning of the additional beads and Items as small as decorative beads ent that tell us even more about the “After all of the media exposure what it could potentially tell us about and fish scales, bits of wood or lead artifact. A typical Dominican rosary and with the number of people com- the former owner of this artifact will shot are not uncommon finds and the has five sets of 10 beads, but this ing to the site and asking to see it, we continue as well. careful, trained eyes of the archae- rosary seems to have an additional set knew we couldn’t keep it in a box in “In some ways, there are two dis- ology crew can spot these without of nine beads, meaning it is likely a storage.” said Porter. coveries here. One is the finding of delay and add them to the more than Brigantine rosary. Exhibit Designer Keeney Swear- the artifact, the other is its yet to be 1 million other artifacts currently in “A rosary is a very personal item,” er developed a display mount determined story.” said Porter. the collection. Though Michilimack- said Dr. Lynn Evans, curator of ar- inac is the site of the longest ongoing chaeology for Mackinac State His- archaeological excavation in North toric Parks. “I can only imagine the America, it isn’t without its surprises. stories this artifact might tell.” Every little piece of history found What started as a small clump at the site tells us a bit more about the of dark and dirty beads was pains- fort and its people. A high concen- takingly and slowing excavated by tration of fish scales or animal bones James Dunnigan, a graduate student can indicate the diet of the person at Western Michigan University and living there, the remnants of the second year member of the archaeol- foundation and materials can tell us ogy crew at Colonial Michilimacki- the architectural style of the building, nac. and religious or military artifacts combined with records of tenants Because Fort Michilimackinac was within the building can help narrow initially founded by the French, it down the potential one-time owner of had a Catholic community from the the item. very beginning. Even after the fort came in to British control, the French Though many of the artifacts have residents were allowed to keep their enriched our understanding of the fort religion, and attend Ste.