Friends of the Lowell Area Historical Museum got to mingle and enjoy an evening amongst the exhibits last Friday at the Summer Fest fundraiser.
About 125 people browsed the museum and outdoor garden while tasting locally-made food and drinks, all while being treated to the music of the Lowell Fusion Quartet.
The museum is currently celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Graham Building, in which the museum is housed, with a year-long membership drive. The goal is to reach 150 new members for the museum.
Museum Director Lisa Plank says the new membership drive count is currently at 78. Members receive free admission to the museum, a quarterly newsletter, invitations to events, and discounts.
Plank says this is the seventh year doing an annual fundraiser. The purpose is to introduce the museum to those who may not know about it and to celebrate the museum’s vibrant place in the community.
The preservation of Lowell history and bringing a sense of community are some of the important purposes of the museum. Plank says it helps bring a “sense of place and identity” to Lowell.
“Our job is to preserve that history and also to bring it out into the community so people can learn about it. We have such a great history here in Lowell,” she says. “There are so many really interesting stories.”
The museum shares those stories through educational programs, a weekly online history series, and interpretive boards around town. That’s in addition to all the programs and exhibits in the museum.
Plank says four new outdoor interpretive boards are going up in Lowell Township that teach about the history of Lowell. Similar boards teaching the history of each building in the historic district on Main Street will be going up in 2024.
Several Lowell and Michigan businesses provided food and drink for the Summer Fest event: Big Boiler Brewery, Heidi’s Farmstand and Bakery, Miss P’s Catering, New Union Brewery, Sabor Mexicano, Sneakers, and The Cheese Lady.
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