The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center is hosting the 22nd installment of the Sonderegger Symposium, a series of presentations about Upper Peninsula topics revolving around a theme, from 8 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, in the Northern Center Ballroom III. Admission is free. Attendees will be provided a free lunch, during which the U.P. Folklife Awards will be presented.
The theme for this year's symposium is “Heritage Preservation and Tourism,” with nine presentations in total. The keynote speaker is Donovan Rypkema, principal of PlaceEconomics in Washington D.C. who will be discussing the economical benefits of heritage tourism, as well as the principles needed to make it sustainable.
The symposium schedule is as follows:
8–8:10 a.m. Welcome; Daniel Truckey, director of the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center.
8:10–9 a.m. “Vanishing Ghosts of Michigan's Upper Peninsula Charcoal Iron Industry,” Thomas Straka, professor emeritus at Clemson University in South Carolina.
9:10-10 a.m. “Marquette's Cultural Trail,” Tiina Harris, executive director of the City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center.
10:10-11 a.m. “Keweenaw Time Traveler,” Dr. Donald Lafreniere, department chair of Social Sciences, Michigan Technological University.
11:10 a.m.-noon Keynote; “The Principles of Heritage Tourism and Preservation,” Donavan Rypkema, principal, PlaceEconomics, Washington D.C.
Noon-12:45 p.m. Lunch and Presentation of the U.P. Folklife Awards
12:45-1:35 p.m. “Preserving Downtown,” David Nelson, city planner for the City of Negaunee.
1:45 p.m.-2:35 p.m. “U.P. Barns: Where the Stars Shine Brightly!,” Kristine Ranger, Michigan Barn Preservation Network.
2:45-3:35 p.m. “Preservation and the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians,” Marie Richards, repatriation and historic preservation specialist.
3:45-4:35 p.m. “Ewen-Trout Creek Basketball and the Barn,” Kristin Ojaniemi, filmmaker and Gary Fors, property owner.
4:45-5:35 p.m. "Historical Documentation and Cultural Analysis of an Upper Peninsula Finnish Farmstead: The Kemppa Farm"
● Chris Charteris, Department of Social Sciences, Michigan Technological University
● Tori Conquest, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Northern Michigan University
● Mark Cronkright, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Northern Michigan University
● Anna Fry, Department of Sociology and Anthropology & Department of Psychological Science, Northern Michigan University
● Robert Hazen, Department of Social Sciences, Michigan Technological University
● Patrick McGowan, Industrial Heritage & Archaeology, Michigan Technological University
● Natalie White, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Northern Michigan University
Those interested but unable to attend can stream the event live here. For more information on the Sonderegger Symposium, click here.