Carnegie Museum to host monthly Keweenaw Natural History Seminars beginning Sept. 30

HOUGHTON -- The Carnegie Museum of the Keweenaw (Houghton) will host Monthly Seminars about our local landscape on the third Tuesday of each month beginning Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014, through Tuesday, April 14, 2015, in the Community Room, downstairs at the Carnegie Museum. The museum opens at 6:30 p.m. for refreshments and introductions; a lecture and discussion will be from 7 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Dr. William Rose, Michigan Tech professor emeritus, Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences and organizer of these Keweenaw Natural History Seminars, will present the inaugural lecture, "Geoelements of the Keweenaw and Isle Royale," on Tuesday, Sept. 30.

Dr. William Rose talks about Keweenaw geology at a beach near Point Isabelle on Lake Superior during one of his July Geo-tours.* (Photo by Keweenaw Now)

"Isle Royale and the Keweenaw share almost identical geology, but have very different human occupation," Rose says. "Geoheritage is about how geology and earth science guide people's lives. Geoheritage is stronger here than almost all places. In spite of this, it is hard for most residents to describe how this works. For Keweenaw and Isle Royale there are five main elements of geoheritage. They can be described simply by five words:  Lavas, Sandstones, Fault, Glaciers and the big Lake. In this lecture I will describe how these five geoelements affect all of our lives here."

Rose has  developed a website which provides extensive basic documentation on Keweenaw Geoheritage. To reach that website, click here.

"The Keweenaw is very special, and it guides our lives," Rose notes. "The connection we feel is strongly influenced by our natural history, as well as our cultural history. In exploring our region’s natural history, we will ask, 'What are the elements of Keweenaw Natural History?' and 'How can the community discuss, participate and celebrate these elements?'"

Other Seminars in the series this fall include "The (un)natural history of Huron Creek, a working stream on the Keweenaw Peninsula" (Oct. 21) by Dr. Alex Mayer, Michigan Tech professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering; "Lake Superior’s natural history and future" (Nov. 18), with Dr. Sarah Green, Michigan Tech professor, Chemistry; and "Animal Elements of Keweenaw and Isle Royale" (Dec. 16) by Dr. Rolf Peterson, Michigan Tech research professor, School of Forest Resources and  Environmental Science.

Click here to read more about the Carnegie Museum seminar series.

* Editor's Note: Watch for an article on the July 25-26 Jacobsville Sandstone Geo-tour -- coming soon.