SAGINAW, Mich. –In recognition of the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Saginaw, the Castle Museum of Saginaw County History will open a permanent exhibition titled Our Foundations: Origins of Saginaw County, Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m.
“In the past year, we have collaborated extensively with the Ziibiwing Center in Mount Pleasant to document and present this important part of our shared history,” said President and CEO Jonathan T. Webb. “We are so appreciative of the guidance provided by the Anishinabe tribal community to help ensure this exhibition is presented in a thoughtful and accurate manner.”
This exhibit will reflect the Saginaw Valley's original inhabitants, vegetation and wildlife as well as the acquisition and development by white settlers. The 1819 Treaty of Saginaw, which ceded more than six million acres of Native American lands to the United States, encompassed the central portion of Michigan’s lower peninsula, including Saginaw County in its entirety.
“The 1819 Treaty of Saginaw opened this entire part of the state to settlement by Americans moving westward,” Webb said. “It really ushered in the “modern” history of Michigan and the beginnings of the communities we all live in today.”
Our Foundations: Origins of Saginaw County exhibition opens with a special dedication ceremony featuring local dignitaries and members of the Saginaw Tribe of Chippewa Indians (Anishinabe), Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. The public and media members are invited to attend. Hors d'oeuvres and light refreshments will be provided.
For a list of additional events happening in Mount Pleasant recognizing the 200th Anniversary of the Treaty of Saginaw, contact Ziibiwing Center of Anishinabe Culture & Lifeways at 989-775-4750 or visit www.sagchip.org.
For more information about this exhibit at the Castle Museum, please call 989-752-2861 or visit www.castlemuseum.org.
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The Historical Society of Saginaw County is committed to serving the community by telling the continuing story of the people of the Saginaw region through exploration, preservation and presentation of their historical and cultural heritage.