 LANSING, Mich.— On Wednesday, November 13, 2019, the Meijer Center for Michigan History was officially unveiled with a ceremony, open house and lecture by Hank Meijer. More than 200 guests attended the dedication event for the Meijer Center for Michigan History, which is the new home of the Historical Society of Michigan (HSM), located at 7435 Westshire Drive near the intersection of I-96 and M-43. The naming of HSM’s new headquarters building is in recognition of a gift from The Meijer Foundation, which allowed the Society to acquire the building. A longtime supporter of HSM, The Meijer Foundation has been a committed ally in the Society’s educational efforts to share the history and heritage of all Michigan’s peoples.
 Speakers at the ceremony were Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson; Historical Society of Michigan Executive Director and CEO Larry J. Wagenaar; Historical Society of Michigan Board of Trustees President Chuck Stokes, who is also the director of editorial and public affairs at WXYZ/WMYD-TV in Detroit; and Hank Meijer of The Meijer Foundation. The ceremony began with remarks from the speakers and culminated with an unveiling of the lighted sign on the building and a ribbon cutting.
Guests of the event had the opportunity to explore the building; meet HSM staff and Board members; and partake of hors d’oeuvres and food and  drink from historic Michigan companies, such as Faygo pop, Vernors ginger ale, Better Made Potato Chips, and Meijer cookies. The evening’s finale was a presentation by Hank Meijer on Senator Arthur Vandenberg, the subject of Meijer’s most recent book. The presentation is part of HSM’s History Hounds™ Lecture Series, which explores some of Michigan’s most fascinating historical facets. Meijer spoke to a record-setting number of attendees who stayed for the lecture, and some viewers joined in remotely to watch the presentation.  Along with offices for HSM staff, meeting and storage spaces, and an expanded area for HSM’s library of Michigan history books, the Meijer Center for Michigan History offers four education spaces—all with remote learning capabilities. Each of the education rooms, along with other areas within the building, will be named after staunch supporters of HSM’s mission to preserve and promote Michigan’s rich history. The first room to be named is the J.C. Huizenga Education Room. J.C. Huizenga, a West Michigan entrepreneur and businessman, has supported the history education programs and services of HSM for many years.
The Historical Society of Michigan, publisher of Michigan History and Chronicle magazines, is the state’s oldest cultural organization, founded in 1828 by territorial governor Lewis Cass and explorer Henry Schoolcraft. A nongovernmental nonprofit, the Society focuses on publications, conferences, education, awards and recognition programming, and support for local history organizations. # # # High-resolution photos of the event are available. Please contact HSM at hsm@hsmichigan.org. This e-mail is sent to our members and friends to keep you updated on historical activities and opportunities to learn more about our state’s history. To opt-out, please respond to this e-mail with “remove” in the subject line. If you received this e-mail as part of your participation in the Michlib-l mailing list (listserv), please follow their removal process. |
