On Saturday, Jan. 26, the Michigan Historical Museum celebrates the 176th anniversary of Michigan statehood with cake, historic maps, roving musicians, War of 1812 soldiers, Native American crafts, rope making, quilting and mustard. Activities will take place at the museum from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This year, the museum’s annual celebration of the day President Andrew Jackson signed the act making Michigan a state, Jan. 26, 1837, will also commemorate the Bicentennial of the War of 1812.
The first 200 visitors will receive a piece of birthday cake. The first 200 families will receive a commemorative poster featuring a historic map of Michigan.
Families can participate in living-history demonstrations of 1812 uniforms, gear and drills. Children can make a 19th-century military hat, flag or map. All will be able to view statehood documents from the Archives of Michigan, including Michigan’s first Constitution.
“When Michigan became a territory in 1805, British fur traders were still lobbying their government to take over much of the Great Lakes region,” said Michigan Historical Center Director Sandra Clark. “It was not until the War of 1812 that those hopes ended and it became certain that Michigan would eventually be a state in the United States.”
For those interested in Michigan’s role in the war, Ralph T. Naveaux, director emeritus of the Monroe County Historical Museum, will speak about his book “Invaded on All Sides: The Story of Michigan’s Greatest Battlefield.” Marine historian Don Burzynski will discuss his award-winning book, “The First Leathernecks,” which highlights the role of the U.S. Marines in the Great Lakes during the War of 1812. The authors will be available to sign copies of their books.
The War of 1812 documentary “Michigan at War: The Struggle for the Old Northwest, 1812-1815” will also be shown.
Statehood Day is included with museum admission; parking is free. Admission is $6 for adults 18-64. Children through age 5 are free; youth ages 6-17 pay an optional $2; and seniors 65 and up pay $4. Annual passes are available, and Sundays are free for everyone. Visit www.michigan.gov/museum or call 517-373-3559 for details.
The Michigan Historical Museum is located inside the Michigan Library and Historical Center, 702 West Kalamazoo St., in Lansing, two blocks east of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The museum and the Archives of Michigan, which is now open on Saturdays, are part of the Michigan Historical Center, an agency within the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
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.
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