History Center of Traverse City
Festival of Trains and the Traverse City Museum with historical photographs online
Check back frequently for more events at the History Center
New displays in the museum and 13,000 pictures and documents, on-line,
all for sale at a modest cost!
We had a record turnout of over 9500 at the 2011 Festival of Trains said Maddie Buteyn, Events and Exhibits Coordinator. Both adults and children were fascinated by the huge train layouts. Many thanks to the the Northern Michigan Railroad Club for their many hours of work to set up and run this wonderful display!
We look forward to seeing you all at the 2012 show!
New fees for jpg files from the archives:
Members and non-profits: $5
Non-members and businesses: $10
(additional fees may apply for disks, prints or commercial use)
Ways you can help the History Center
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1.Become a member
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2.Volunteer to help in the archives or for center events
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3.Donate historical photographs/documents or artifacts
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4.Participate in history projects in the community
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5.Provide financial or professional help
Give us a call or stop by, we have many interesting ways you can help!
You’ve Seen the Traverse City Film Festival,
Now see Traverse City the Movie!
You missed the movie at the State, but the DVD is still available at the History Center!
Traverse City, Mich.- After over two years of work, research, and almost $12,000 the History Center of Traverse City is about to release the restored, professionally produced 1940 film “We’re In The Movies.” The result is a cleaned and sharper, beautiful color film with many of the businesses, hair styles, trains, cars, planes, horses, clothing, and most importantly, smiling people of Traverse City in 1940. Best of all we can all see it again on the big screen at the State Theater on Saturday, September 8 at 4:00 pm as a highlight of the History Center’s Heritage Days.
The film was the “America's Got Talent” of its era. It's a 45-minute film that featured local scenes and people surrounding a storyline where people competed to be the next big Hollywood star. The 16 mm film was created as a fundraiser for the Exchange Club and filmed in January 1940. The film was generously donated by that organization to the History Center.
The unrestored film was screened at various homes and retirement facilities to collect information about people, businesses and to get a feel for what it was like living in a small town in 1940 America. The resources of the History Center Archives also was a valuable source. Major funding was provided by the National Film Preservation Foundation, the law offices of Zirnhelt, Bowron & Wiggins, and George and Jill Wellman. Students from the NMC Visual Communications designed materials and enhanced the DVD production with captions, titles and a music bed.
THE HISTORY CENTER
PRESENTS: LEGOS
Opens Saturday, May 25
New Aerial Photo Exhibit:
Traverse History From Above!
Thirty large-format aerial photos of Traverse City, from the 1920's - 1960's, are on display at the HIstory Center until the last week of May. Don't miss this chance to see how drastically our town has changed over the decades!
On display at the same time is the new, professionally designed exhibit "The Grand Traverse Region: Vibrant Reinvention," which traces 150 years of our history.
