Heritage Museum Annual Meeting to Highlight 50 year anniversary in program presented by Priscilla Byrns
On Tuesday, June 17, the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center will hold its Annual Meeting. Attendees will enjoy a reception, dinner, and wine. Priscilla U. Byrns will present a program highlighting the organization’s history.
Nearly 50 years ago, in 1965, the Fort Miami Heritage Society was established. Taking their name from a French trading post founded in 1679 where the St. Joseph River meets Lake Michigan, the founding members originally united to serve the community and bring together people with a common interest in the past. Now known as the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center, the mission of the museum remains the same: to preserve our history as a powerful tool for planning the present and future.
From its founding, the organization conducted tours, offered programs for school children, supported preservation initiatives, and staged historical exhibits at community locations. A public museum was a long-standing goal. As collections of donated items began to grow, a location was sought which would house exhibit halls, artifacts storage, and space for programs. In 1989, a committee led by Priscilla Byrns, formed a plan to buy the building which had housed the First Congregational Church. The renovated space, called the Landmark Center, offered the organization an opportunity to expand their offerings for the community.
SUBJECT: PUBLIC EVENTS WITH DETAILS
Disaster struck in 1994 when fire leveled the building. Determined to carry on, the Board of Directors worked with volunteers, businesses, and area residents to raise funds to rebuild and reestablish the organization’s presence in the community. In 1998, the new building was dedicated as the Priscilla U. Byrns Center.
Priscilla Byrns will present a program to highlight the organization’s accomplishments and announce plans for a 50th anniversary campaign. The Annual Meeting will begin at 6:00. Attendees will have an opportunity to view the Heritage Museum’s current exhibits, “Southwest Michigan in the Civil War,” “In Style: 50 Years of the Heritage Museum’s Fashion Collections,” and a new exhibit, “Benton Harbor’s Boat Building Industry.”
All are welcome to attend the Annual Meeting. The cost is $24 ($20 for Heritage Museum members), and includes a reception, dinner, and wine. Proceeds will help support exhibits and operations at the Heritage Museum.
The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center is located at The Priscilla U. Byrns Center, 601 Main Street, St. Joseph. Please call 269-983-1191 for more information, or visit www.theheritagemcc.org for more information.
