Clarke Historical Library

The World Cup starts today, and Isaac Fancher is fired up!

Although none of the players in this year’s tournament are from the Mitten State, Michigan is the birthplace of three previous World Cup players: Cobi Jones (Detroit; 1994, 1998, 2002), Alexi Lalas (Birmingham; 1994, 1998), and Brian Maisonneuve (Warren; 1998).

Tell us in the comments—who are you rooting for?

This Thursday, June 11, Isabella County Government - Parks and Recreation are hosting a rededication celebration for the 25th anniversary of the Pere Marquette Rail Trail. If you're in the area, go check it out and support some local Isabella County history in the making!

Summer is here, which means that it’s construction season at CMU! Be on the lookout over the next couple of months for our university and city construction crews, who are hard at work repairing our beautiful campus.

Pictured is the Park Library building during its 1999-2001 renovation. This overhaul resulted in the 120,000 square foot circular addition that is now home, in part, to the Clarke Historical Library. For more information about existing and demolished buildings on campus, check out the Clarke’s webpage about the history of CMU: https://www.cmich.edu/research/clarke-historical-library/explore-collection/explore-online/cmu-history

Our friends at WCMU Public Media recently released a three-part "Central Focus" series in remembrance of Dr. Robert Kohrman. Prof. Kohrman had an unquenchable passion for books, periodicals, and ephemera about angling and outdoors sports, and he shared that passion with the Clarke Historical Library, helping us to build a world-class collection of angling materials.

Listen to the program on the WCMU site:
https://www.wcmu.org/show/central-focus/2026-06-03/central-focus-a-conversation-leads-to-more-stories-on-robert-khorman

Pictured are Professor Kohrman with one of the books from the Clarke's collection and an illustration of a grayling fish.

Each year since 1973, the campus of Central Michigan University welcomes thousands for the Special Olympics Michigan State Summer Games. Athletes and their families from across the Great Lakes State are in Mt. Pleasant this weekend to share in the empowerment, joy, and camaraderie that the SOMI State Summer Games provide.

Pictured here are photos from 20 years ago, in 2006, showing the athletes, supporters, and volunteers during the opening ceremonies, torch lighting, volleyball, and bocce events!

In late 2025, the Michigan legislature passed a law to honor the men and boys who fought as part of Company K First Michigan Sharpshooters. Company K was made up primarily of Odawa and Ojibwe men and boys from northern Michigan, like William "Chid" Duvernay, pictured here, who was actually part of Co. B. of the First Michigan Sharpshooters. The 2025 law renamed a stretch of M-22 in Leelanau in honor of Company K, and today was the dedication ceremony.

The text of the law is below:

"Michigan Compiled Laws: 250.1108 'Company K Indian Veterans 1st Michigan Sharpshooters Civil War Memorial Highway'.

"Sec. 108.

"The portion of highway M-22 in Leelanau County beginning at the intersection of highway M-22 and North Stallman Road and continuing north to the intersection of highway M-22 and North Putnam Road shall be known as the 'Company K Indian Veterans 1st Michigan Sharpshooters Civil War Memorial Highway'."

Our friends at WCMU Public Media have a new episode of with David Nicholas that you will want to listen to!

Carrie Marsh and Bryan Whitledge of the Clarke joined David in the studio for the first episode of a multipart series about Dr. Robert "Bob" Kohrman's world-class collection of books, periodicals, art, and more about angling, sporting, and conservation That collection is now part of the Clarke's holdings, making the Clarke a premier destination for those interested in the history of angling, fish culture, outdoor sports, and conservation.

Dr. Kohrman passed away in April, and this remembrance recounts the first question that sparked his interest and led to his decades-long quest to collect rare sporting books and periodicals--Why is the city of Grayling named Grayling if there aren't any grayling fish there?

Read or listen to the story on the WCMU site:
https://www.wcmu.org/show/central-focus/2026-05-20/central-focus-remembering-robert-kohrman-part-1

Are you curious about what was happening around , Mich., back on Friday, May 15, 1914? We've got the answer from :

Cheboygan was going to get a local "salting station" plant of the Budlong Pickle Company (carrying on the tradition of Michigan being the leading pickle state in the country!). And the boys on the high school basketball team were going to receive their "Block C" that afternoon.

https://digmichnews.cmich.edu/?a=d&d=CheboyganCD19140515-01.1.4&e=-------en-10--1--txt-txIN----------

Get all of the latest (well, the latest back 112 years ago) news from across the state of Michigan on the Digital Michigan Newspapers site.

Chippewa River District Library's Local History Collection includes local newspapers on microfilm, books, periodicals, and other directories.
Click the link to learn more: https://www.crdl.org/research/genealogy-local-history

The latest issue of "Lookout Network" (publication of the Forest Fire Lookout Association (FFLA), Vol 37.1 for Spring 2026) features an article by Anne Millbrooke, "Ready-Cut Home and Lookout Cabins: Aladdin Company, Western Division, Portland, Oregon."

Millbrooke offers an excellent history of Bay City's Aladdin Co. and their operations in Portland, Ore., especially the company's efforts to construct small cabins for fire lookouts out west.

Who knew that the standard L-4 kit used for lookout cabins across western states in the 1930s was affectionately known as "an Aladdin"--even when the kit was made by another manufacturer?!

Check out the latest issue of ""Lookout Network" for the whole story.