Preserving Our Community's Story, Library Title Feature, Summer Reading Program Update

As a library, one of our most important responsibilities is preserving our community's history. One way we support preservation is by digitizing our local Pioneer Tribune through UPLINK, a digital preservation and access program managed by the Northern Michigan University Archives. Thanks to this partnership, issues of the Pioneer Tribune dating back to 1888 are available online for everyone to explore. The easiest way to access this resource is through the library's website.

As our nation celebrates its 250th birthday, I thought it would be fun to look back 100 years to see how our community celebrated the Fourth of July in 1926 and how those festivities compare to today.

According to the July 1, 1926, edition of the Pioneer Tribune, Manistique's Independence Day celebration came together thanks to a group of local businessmen who organized the event. The day featured music by the Manistique W.O.W. Band, a penny scramble sponsored by the Manistique Bank, and more races than you could count. There were potato races, sack races, three-legged races, and even a swimming race in the harbor, with prizes ranging from $10 to $1. A baseball game between Cooks and Manistique added to the excitement, and Gordon Kibbler's Orchestra performed on both July 4 and 5, with admission costing between 20 and 50 cents.

Local businesses joined in the celebration as well. People's Store advertised ladies' silk dresses, regularly priced up to $25, on sale for just $9.75 in honor of the holiday. Looking back at the following week's newspaper, the event was declared a success. While a few activities started later than planned, the community was pleased with how smoothly everything went, especially since the celebration had been organized on short notice by local merchants.

While today's Fourth of July celebration looks a little different, the spirit of the holiday remains the same. We may not have sack races, harbor swimming competitions, or a featured baseball game, but our community still comes together to celebrate. Families line the streets for the Fourth of July parade, with many setting out their chairs early in the morning to claim the perfect spot. It is wonderful to look back 100 years and see how much has changed while appreciating the traditions that continue to bring our community together.

If you're interested in exploring more of our community's history, I encourage you to take advantage of this wonderful resource. Simply visit the library's website and click the UPLINK logo on our homepage to begin browsing our digitized newspapers. We are grateful to be able to preserve and share Manistique's history, and we hope you enjoy discovering stories from our community's past.

If you don't have access to a computer at home, or if you'd like help getting started, you're always welcome to visit the library. Our public computers are available for anyone to use, and our staff is happy to assist you in exploring the UPLINK archives or answering any questions you may have.

Library Title Feature - Daughters of the Sun and Moon, by Lisa See

The story of three Chinese women whose unexpected friendship helps them survive and, despite the odds, thrive, in the turmoil of post–Civil War Los Angeles. “Poignant and fascinating, Daughters of the Sun and Moon is a heart-pounding frontier narrative and a tender tribute to female friendship.” -Shelf Awareness

Summer Reading Program-. Unearth a Story is well underway! Next week our children's program will be July 15 at 1 p.m.. Dino Discovery Day will include breaking into “dinosaur” eggs, a fossil find, stories and dino themed snack.

Our Summer Reading Button Exchange collection is growing. Stop in and see where our buttons have come from! Don't forget to return Reading Log/Bookmarks for your children to be registered for prizes and to add to our community coloring page!

Library Hours:  Monday and Thursday: 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 

 Library Contact Information:  Phone: (906) 252-4316, Email: mspl@manistiqueschools.org, Website: https://www.manistiquelibrary.org.