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Researching Your Home's History
Wonder what secrets your house may hold? Who lived there 25, 50, or even 100 years ago?
Join Patrick McCauley, co-author of Historic Ann Arbor: an Architectural Guide as he walks you though his own experience as a researcher. Along with the considerable research required for his book, McCauley spent years doggedly uncovering his own home's history, and has plenty of guidance, tips and advice.
Whether you're just starting to dig into your work, or already an bit of researcher, McCauley will relate a few of his own research scenarios and share resources, extract lessons and highlight useful tips that you can use in your own historical hunt. Copies of Historic Ann Arbor will be available for sale and signing at the event.
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ICPJ Podcast: Lucia Heinold and Laron Williams
In this episode Lucia Heinold and Laron Williams talk about their involvement on ICPJ's Racial and Economic Justice Task Force (REJ) and the many strides the group has made in bringing discussions of race to the community. Laron discusses his early involvement with ICPJ where, as the only African American on the REJ steering committee, he felt a need to address the organization's discussions of race. Lucia and Laron also talk about their recent involvement in the "Understanding Race" exhibit at the Exhibit Museum and related community discussions, as well as efforts to bring film and book discussions to the Ypsilanti community in partnership with the Ypsilanti District Library.
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ICPJ Podcast: Norma Green and Gil Whitney
Norma Green, retired farmer, and Gil Whitney, also a farmer, togther recall their work with the Land, Food, and Justice Committee, through which they organized farm tours, introduced people to their food sources, hosting potlucks and cooking demonstrations, and much more.
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ICPJ Podcast: Bart Beavin and Mary Hathaway
In this episode, Mary Hathaway talks about the friendship and initial involvement of her husband, John, with ICPJ leaders Russell and Barbara Fuller. Mary later became active in international arms control and attended the 1982 march in New York City to protest the nuclear arms race. She also talks about the split among local activists during discussions about becoming a nuclear free zone.
Bart Beavin arrived in Ann Arbor in 1966 after a 10-week tour of the Middle East and Europe in which he became sensitive to what was happening in Palestine Israel. While this topic has been his chief social justice issue for over 50 years, he recounts many activities and events with the ICPJ and the Wesley Foundation during the Vietnam War era, from counselling young men on draft resistance, attending the 1968 march in Washington D. C., and making a trip to the Dow Company to protest the company's sale of napalm.
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ICPJ Podcast: Bryan and Layle Weinert
In this episode, Ann Arbor couple Bryan and Layle Weinert talk about their 30-year involvement with the Ann Arbor Crop Walk, from its humble beginnings to a strong community movement that has led to related local efforts such as the Faith in Food program. Inspired by the interfaith nature of the event which draws 400-500 walkers annually and has raised over 2 million dollars, as well as its support of both fundamental justice issues and local efforts, the Weinert's make a compelling moral case for the practicality and power such a community-wide event can have in raising awareness on a personal and national level to fight global social injustice.
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Local Historian Dale Leslie Discusses Where Notables Lived in A2
Where Notables Lived in A2 is a fascinating photo-lecture where Dale Leslie shares the residences and backgrounds of several well-known writers and poets who lived in Ann Arbor.
Dale R. Leslie is a life-long Ann Arbor resident, former local businessman and U-M alumnus who recalls his mother telling him, "Famous people like visiting Ann Arbor because they can blend with the town's citizens without being noticed."
And Dale adds, "Yes, and some chose to reside here for an extended period."
Included in his talk are:
• Harriet Arnow, author of The Dollmaker (lived on a farm on Nixon Road);
• W.H. Auden, one of the great poets of the 20th Century (lived at 504 Brooklyn);
• Joseph Brodsky, Nobel prize-winning Russian poet and essayist (lived on 308 Wesley);
• Robert Frost, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet (lived on 1223 Pontiac Trail);
• Robert Hayden, the first U.S. Congress African American Poet Laureate (lived at 1201 Gardner);
• Arthur Miller, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright (lived at 411 N. State);
• Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (lived on 1314 Broadway).
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Nerd Nite #25: Ypsilanti History
Local historian James Mann returns for his fourth Nerd Night talk, and will be speaking on his new book, Ypsilanti, part of the Images of Modern America series from Arcadia Publishing. This is a picture history of the city of Ypsilanti from the 1960’s to the present. James will speak on how Ypsilanti got the most easily misspelled name in the state, the Michigan Murders, and tell the true story of Rosie the Riveter. There is more to Ypsilanti than the Water Tower! Copies of Ypsilanti will be available for purchase.
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Show & Tell for Grown-Ups
We all remember Show & Tell — bringing a treasured possession to school and telling our friends why we love it so much. As adults, we have many more treasures today.
Show & Tell events for adults are sweeping the nation, with recent publicity of the trend in the Wall Street Journal. Described as The Moth Radio Hour meets Antiques Roadshow, these events focus on connecting people through their personal histories.
Participants brought a treasured object, new or old, to this Show & Tell session for adults. An old photo or letter, family heirloom, vacation memorabilia, an ancient artifact, a work of art - it’s the story behind the piece that matters. No performing; this is amateur storytelling at its best.
Each participant had five minutes to tell the story behind the object. The local organizers for this event are members of the Association of Personal Historians and promoted Show & Tells in May to celebrate Personal History Month.
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Fleeting Beauty, Enduring Value: the Peony Garden at the Nichols Arboretum
The U-M Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden presents a stunning spring display, with over 270 historic cultivated varieties (cultivars) from the nineteenth and early twentieth century representing the best American, Canadian, and European peonies of the era. These fragrant spring beauties are arranged in 27 beds with each full bed containing 30 peonies. When filled to capacity the garden holds nearly 800 peonies and up to 10,000 flowers at peak bloom.
Dr. David C. Michener, Associate Curator at the University of Michigan Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, will discuss the beautiful Nichols Arboretum Peony Garden and give an update on the current work in the Garden in preparation for its centennial in 2022.
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Michigan's Drive-In Theaters
Here in Ann Arbor, watching outdoor movies at festivals is a way of life in the summertime. But how did we get here? What is the history of Michigan outdoor film venues? And why are drive-ins so scarce?
Revisit a part of Michigan History as Martin Bandyke, morning host on Ann Arbor's 107one, interviews Harry Skrdla about his new book Michigan's Drive-In Theaters and the history of these Michigan outdoor film venues. Michigan's Drive-In Theaters is a nostalgic depiction of the state's outdoor theaters from the pinnacle of their popularity to their downfall, and the subsequent resurgence of interest in the remaining theaters through more than 200 vintage images.
Harry Skrdla is an engineer and a historic-preservation consultant based in Ann Arbor who as contributed to the preservation and restoration of a number of noteworthy structures, including the ornate 1920s movie palace the Fox Theatre in Detroit, one of the last of its kind in America. The initial preservation of the Fox Theatre was overseen by Skrdla and fellow theatre historian, Greg Bellamy.