cid:image004.jpg@01CF5D4D.54021000 For Immediate Release: June 21, 2014 Upper Peninsula History Awards Presented to Marilyn Fischer and Les Cheneaux Historical Association MANISTIQUE, Mich.-Marilyn Fischer and the Les Cheneaux Historical Association won top honors at the Historical Society of Michigan's 65th annual Upper Peninsula History Conference in Manistique, Mich., for their outstanding efforts to preserve and promote the history of the Upper Peninsula. Fischer, who hails from Gulliver, Mich., received the Charles Follo Award, which acknowledges the work of an individual. The Superior Award, which recognizes the achievements of historical societies, museums and other history-related organizations, was awarded to the Les Cheneaux Historical Association, located in Cedarville, Mich. The awards were presented during the Society's Upper Peninsula History Awards Banquet at the Historic Blaney Inn, in Blaney, Mich., on June 21, 2014. For more information about the Historical Society of Michigan and its award programs, visit <http://www.hsmichigan.org> www.hsmichigan.org or call (517) 324-1828. THE 2014 CHARLES FOLLO AWARD Marilyn Fischer, this year's Charles Follo Award recipient, is originally from Detroit but has dedicated the last 30 years of her life to the history of the Upper Peninsula. Fischer helped form the Gulliver Historical Society in 1988 and spearheaded the restoration of the Seul Choix Point Lighthouse, which is now listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places and is open to the public as a museum. She has also authored four books about Seul Choix Point and the Gulliver area, including Seul Choix Point Light and Spirits at Seul Choix Point; researched and wrote the scripts for four history video productions; conducted oral history interviews with more than 50 Schoolcraft County families; and written 20 successful grants to fund historic preservation and restoration. The Charles Follo Award was established in 1979 and is named in honor of an Escanaba school teacher who worked to establish historical societies and promote the history of the Upper Peninsula. The Historical Society of Michigan presents this annual award to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the preservation and promotion of Upper Peninsula history. THE 2014 SUPERIOR AWARD This year's Superior Award recipient, the Les Cheneaux Historical Association, originated in 1967 as a display of photographs and artifacts in a dock-based storage shed. As it nears its golden anniversary, that association's volunteers and nine-person staff oversee a historical museum, maritime museum, a nationally known antique wooden boat show and festival of arts, and many other programs that preserve and interpret the Les Cheneaux area's history. The Historical Association's exhibits and programs focus on the area's unique past, especially logging and lumber camps, summer resort hotels, and boating. It offers a wide variety of events, including an annual Antique Wooden Boat Show, a juried art fair, "Artist of the Week" programs, "Music at the Maritime Museum" evenings with local musicians, a Christmas tree auction, and a boat-building workshop. The Historical Society of Michigan created the Superior Award in 2006 to recognize historical societies, museums, and other historical organizations that have preserved and advanced Upper Peninsula history. _____ cid:image001.jpg@01CF8A43.BF828E40 _____ The Historical Society of Michigan is our 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 to preserve and promote Michigan's rich history. _____ For more information on the Historical Society of Michigan, please visit <http://www.hsmichigan.org/> www.hsmichigan.org or e-mail us at <mailto:hsm@hsmichigan.org> hsm@hsmichigan.org. _____ The Historical Society of Michigan 5815 Executive Dr. . Lansing, MI 48911 Phone: (517) 324-1828 . FAX: (517) 324-4370 cid:image006.jpg@01CF5D4D.54021000 Contact: Nancy Feldbush (517) 324-1828 <mailto:feldbush@hsmichigan.org> feldbush@hsmichigan.org _____ _____ The Charles Follo Award was established in 1979 and is named in honor of an Escanaba school teacher who worked to establish historical societies and promote the history of the Upper Peninsula. The Historical Society of Michigan created the Superior Award in 2006 to recognize historical societies, museums, and other historical organizations that have preserved and advanced Upper Peninsula history. For more information about the Historical Society of Michigan and its award programs, visit <http://www.hsmichigan.org> www.hsmichigan.org or call (517) 324-1828. 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.