Carnegie Museum to offer "bridge" event June 18

"Building Bridges," is an exhibit at the Carnegie Museum in Houghton. Stop in between noon and 4 p.m. June 18 for a special event. Click on photos for larger versions. (Photos by Keweenaw Now)

HOUGHTON -- The Carnegie Museum in Houghton is offering a special event for Bridgefest from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 18. Stop by and view their exhibit, "Golden Anniversary of the Portage Lift Bridge," a brief history of the bridges that have crossed the Portage, and "Building Bridges" a hands-on look at engineering bridges. Then try your hand at building a bridge with spaghetti and marshmallows!

Kids, young and old, have a chance to try building bridges at the Carnegie Museum.

Other Exhibits at Carnegie Museum

Another current exhibit,"REMEMBER ME - Photos and Letters from WWII Soldiers to a Laurium Barkeep," opened on Saturday, June 11, with a reception at the Carnegie during the Houghton Spring Art and Music Festival.

Marshall Wickstrom of Laurium lent the exhibit of photos and letters from soldiers who wrote to A.B. Quello, his uncle, owner of the Board of Trade Tavern, a Laurium bar that closed in 1987.

Elise Nelson (left), Carnegie Museum curator, chats with Joanne Thomas of Allouez during the June 11 opening of the "REMEMBER ME" exhibit of photos and letters from World War II servicemen.

"We ended up with the property," Wickstrom said. "As we were cleaning out the basement, we found these pictures and letters and saved them."

Photos and letters from World War II soldiers and sailors in the Carnegie exhibit include this facsimile of a letter written on toilet paper (center).

Wickstrom and his sister, Mavis McKinstry, have offered the collection of photos and letters to the Keweenaw National Historical Park (National Park Service). They are hoping to give the collection to a place where it will be preserved.

"It's history," Wickstrom said.

Marshall Wickstrom, right, co-owner of the World War II photos and letters found in his uncle's tavern in Laurium, chats with Jeremiah Mason of Keweenaw National Historical Park and Elise Nelson, Carnegie Museum curator, about the list of letters on the wall, intended to help in identification of the photos.

Jeremiah Mason of Keweenaw National Historical Park attended opening of the exhibit.

"This is an awesome exhibit," Mason said. "It looks great!"

This display explains the censoring of letters from men and women in the Armed Forces during World War II.

Elise Nelson, Carnegie Museum curator, said the exhibit includes a selection of letters and 132 photos -- displayed with the hope that some visitors may be able to identify people in the photos or letters, possibly family members.

"They have the option to get a copy if they choose," Wickstrom said.

Nelson noted at least one visitor on June 11 identified a photo of an uncle, Tommy Lampela. Letters from his brother are in the collection.

A visitor to the Carnegie Museum on June 11 identified the soldier in this photo as an uncle, Tommy Lampela.

Letter written to A. B. Quello in 1945.

Two other exhibits are also still on display at the Carnegie Museum: "People, Place and Time: Michigan's Copper Country Through the Lens of J.W. Nara," a traveling exhibit by the Michigan Tech Archives, and "A Stroll Down Shelden Aveue: Commercial Development of Downtown Hougton 1852-1910."

This photo of farm families is part of "People, Place and Time: Michigan's Copper Country Through the Lens of J.W. Nara," a traveling exhibit by the Michigan Tech Archives, now at the Carnegie Museum.

Located on the corner of Huron and Montezuma in historic downtown Houghton, the Carnegie Museum is open Tuesdays and Thursdays noon - 5 and Saturdays noon - 4. Parking is available behind the building or in the City lot across Montezuma Avenue. Free admission. Visit them on Facebook for more updates on exhibits, events, and activities.