The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University will host an opening event for a new exhibition, "Northern Tapestry: 125 Years of Stories," at 1 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30, in its Gries Hall gallery. In addition to a talk by Director/Curator Daniel Truckey, there will be light refreshments and snacks. The event and exhibit are free and open to the public.
"Northern Tapestry" celebrates the 125th anniversary of Northern, which was established in 1899 as a Normal School to train future teachers. The exhibition explores the unusual, unknown, odd and sometimes challenging experiences that have helped make it the university it is today.
Stories will include those about early female faculty, student organizations, traditions, early African-American students, the first women athletes in the 1960s and '70s and more. There will also be a timeline featuring the countless speakers and performers who have graced the university's many stages and lecture halls, including Louis Armstrong, Langston Hughes, Eleanor Roosevelt.
This exhibition is a work in progress. Over the coming months, more research and information will be conducted and added to this exhibit as space and time allow. Visitors will also be asked for their input on the “memory tree” along one wall of the gallery.
"Northern Tapestry: 125 Years of Stories" will be on display through Feb. 1. The Beaumier Center's hours are noon to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays.