Northern Michigan University's Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center will host a free “Welcome Back” reception in its Gries Hall gallery at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 2. Attendees will have an opportunity to view the current exhibition, “A Beautiful Location: The Architecture of NMU.” Hors d'oeuvres and light refreshments will be available. Masks are required.
The exhibition explores how NMU's campus transitioned from one building in a remote part of Marquette to modern facilities to accommodate significant growth in the 1960s and to the present high-tech community.
During a recent architectural walking tour offered in conjunction with the exhibition, Beaumier Center Director Daniel Truckey said the campus has featured a mix of unique styles designed by Michigan's greatest architects. These include Harden Hall—formerly the Learning Resources Center—designed by Alden B. Dow, and the demolished Kaye Hall by D. Frederick Charlton.
“We can't get those buildings back, but through the exhibition and walking tours, we want to heighten awareness and appreciation for what we do have on campus,” he said. “What we have are some really significant architectural buildings in the state designed by, at that time, the best architects in Michigan. Many studied at the Cranbrook Institute, the main architectural institute in the Midwest at that time. Some studied with Frank Lloyd Wright. These buildings are in cities and universities across the state.”
Photographs, maps and architectural plans of past and present facilities are showcased. The exhibition also includes a time-lapse map showing how the campus has grown and spread out over the past 122 years, and display cases featuring architectural fragments, signs and artifacts from buildings no longer in existence.
Additional architectural walking tours are scheduled at 1 p.m. on two Thursdays: Sept. 9 and Sept. 23. Reserve a spot by calling 227-2549. Find more information on the Beaumier Center here.
