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Lansing, Mich.—The Historical Society of Michigan announces the winners of its 2017 Upper Peninsula History Awards, which will be presented during its 68th annual Upper Peninsula History Conference in Iron River and Caspian, Mich., June 23-25, 2017.
Each year, the Historical Society of Michigan presents two awards at the Upper Peninsula History Conference: the Charles Follo Award for individuals and the Superior Award for historical organizations based in the Upper Peninsula. The awards recognize individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the preservation and promotion of Upper Peninsula history.
The 2017 Charles Follo Award winner is the Rev. Robert Langseth of Calumet, Mich., who has spent decades developing the history of his Copper Country community. Langseth spearheaded the effort to create the Keweenaw National Historical Park and worked to save one of Calumet’s most historic buildings: St. Anne’s Catholic Church. The Charles Follo Award, established in 1979, is named in honor of Charles Follo, a school teacher from Escanaba who worked to establish historical societies and promote the history of the Upper Peninsula.
The Historical Society of Michigan established the Superior Award in 2006 to recognize historical societies, museums and other historical organizations that have preserved and advanced Upper Peninsula history. This year’s recipient is the Delta County Historical Society in Escanaba. A group of volunteers founded the Delta County Historical Society in 1948 to collect, preserve and interpret the county’s rich history. Since then, the society has undergone enormous growth, but its mission remains the same: to be a learning resource for residents and visitors alike.
The Upper Peninsula History Conference pays particular attention to U.P. history topics and themes. The conference moves to a different location in the Upper Peninsula each year to explore that area’s heritage. The 2017 Upper Peninsula History Conference is sponsored by Meijer Inc. and is hosted by the Iron County Historical Society & Museum and West Iron County Middle and High School.
The Historical Society of Michigan, publisher of Michigan History and Chronicle magazines, is the state’s oldest cultural organization, founded in 1828 by territorial governor Lewis Cass and explorer Henry Schoolcraft.
