Research

The Historical Society collects objects to preserve and share the history of the Harbor Springs area. Our archive includes thousands of photographs, documents and artifacts from the mid 1800s through the present day.

We are pleased to make our historical resources available to researchers. All access is coordinated through our Curator, Beth Wemigwase. Researchers who would like to visit the museum are asked to schedule an appointment at least two weeks in advance by emailing beth@harborspringshistory.org.

Researchers should browse our online database before scheduling an appointment to see if our collection has items relevant to their search. Include the topic of your research and what items you are interested in seeing when making your appointment.

Artifacts and books are non-circulating and are not permitted to leave the museum. Photocopies and scans of research material are available upon request and for a fee.

Research Assistance

Historical Society staff are available on a limited basis to help with research queries. Members received assistance free for the first hour of research that staff conduct on their behalf. After that, and for all non-members, research is conducted at $25/hour rate with additional fees for scanning, reproductions etc. Please note that we have a very small staff and requests cannot always be met in a timely fashion.