Exhibitions

Current Exhibit

Fair Winds and Following Seas: The NM Sloop at 90 – 2024

Now Open! Perhaps the best known of the racing sailboats on Little Traverse Bay, the Northern Michigan (NM) sloop has become a fixture of Harbor Springs waterfront history. Created by Russell J. Pouliot in 1934, this endearing watercraft sailed into the hearts of Harbor Springs residents immediately following its introduction and an active fleet of the vessels still race today. Few things—upon reaching their 90th anniversary—have the kind of following that these boats do. Owners, sailors, builders and the community at large embraced the NM and their dedication and enthusiasm have remained undiminished through the decades.

Permanent Exhibits 

Local History Gallery

The first of our two permanent exhibits, the Local History Gallery guides visitors through a multi-layered chronology of the Harbor Springs region. Using text, photographs and artifacts, this gallery celebrates the various chapters in our history beginning with the Odawa Indians and concluding with a look at the post-World War II community and the emergence of the ski industry. Harbor Springs’ traditions throughout history are featured in the Celebrations exhibit which includes images of parades, regattas, the natural landscape and, of course, Fourth of July fireworks.

Discovery Gallery

The Discovery Gallery is the second of our permanent exhibit spaces and is filled with hands-on activities for children and their families or teachers. Organized around the history of four area residents, visitors learn about locomotive inventor Ephraim Shay, Chief Andrew J. Blackbird, lighthouse keeper Elizabeth Whitney Williams and downtown merchant Rose Rosenthal. Trains, a fishing shanty, a play grocery store and more will engage and instruct children of all ages.

Past Exhibits

Restful Resorts: Cottages, Community and Change – 2023

Now closed. Everything changed for the small village of Little Traverse after 1875—in fact, the three decades between 1870 and 1900 were full of explosive change that forever defined our town.

Almost overnight Little Traverse, called Harbor Springs after 1881, transformed from a primarily Odawa village and up-and-coming logging town into a tourist and resort destination, flooding the area with thousands of new residents. The communities lost and created during this pivotal era in our history are the subject of this exhibit.

Dry Harbor: Prohibition, Gambling and Gangsters – 2022

Beginning around 1917 the residents of Harbor Springs found themselves confronted by battles on many fronts— from the muddy trenches of World War I to the overflowing cots of Spanish Influenza wards. The passage of statewide Prohibition, the rise of bootlegging, the collapse of the economy, as well as tensions surrounding women’s rights, family values and political corruption, defined the first three decades of the 20th Century.

Don’t Miss the Boat – 2020/2021

Step back in time to an era of steam whistles and fluttering flags and explore the history of passenger ferries on Little Traverse Bay! As early as 1875 the first ferries began making daily trips between Petoskey and Harbor Springs, later adding stops at Wequetonsing, Roaring Brook, Bay View and Harbor Point. At the height of the resort season as many as 5,000 passengers took the ferries every day.

It was not until the rise of the automobile that ferry traffic declined. In 1930 the last regularly running ferry, the America, was sold and the service was discontinued.

Homecoming: A History of the Harbor Springs High School – 2019/2020

This exhibit is filled with Rams memorabilia, artifacts and photographs and includes activities that let visitors become a part of the story. Visit the display to learn more about the history of our community’s iconic school on the bluff and while you are there, be sure to sign the yearbook and take a photograph with the class of 1900!

The Life and Work of Ephraim Shay – 2018 (moved to Shay Hexagon House)

The Life and Work of Ephraim Shay shares the story of one of Harbor Springs most famous citizens, Ephraim Shay. The exhibit chronicles Shay’s life, from his service in the Civil War to the invention of the geared locomotive that made him a household name in the lumber industry. Shay retired to the Harbor Springs area in 1888. During his “retirement” he created over twelve miles of water mains to bring running water to the city, designed and built his unique Hexagon House and started a logging railway known locally as the Hemlock Central.

Just the Artifacts, Ma’am – 2016/2017

This exhibit showcased unusual and never-before-seen artifacts from the Historical Society’s Collections. The Historical Society is home to thousands of documents, photographs and objects, and this exhibit serves as an opportunity to share those items with the community. Highlights in this exhibit include a collection of dental tools belonging to Dr. Frank A. Graham and several loaned artifacts from the original Petoskey Brewing. Long after memories fade, these artifacts remain to enrich our understanding of the unique history of this special place. The Historical Society is honored to be a steward of this history and hopes you enjoy viewing some of the unique items brought out from behind the archive’s door.

Anishnaabek Art: Gift of the Great Lakes – 2015

The Harbor Springs History Museum’s newest temporary exhibit, Anishnaabek Art: Gift of the Great Lakes, is on display now through August 27, 2016. The exhibit showcases Anishnaabek (Odawa, Ojibwe and Potawatomi) art from throughout the Great Lakes region, focusing on various media, styles and tribes. Using handcrafted items such as wooden tools, quill boxes, baskets and beadwork, the exhibit explores the political, religious, cultural, and social changes the Odawa and other native groups navigated throughout their history.

Anishnaabek Art was developed primarily from the private Robert W. Streett Collection. An avid collector, Streett loaned the majority of the artifacts for this unique exhibit. The exhibit also features work from contemporary native artists and artifacts from the Historical Society and Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians collections.

A Shadow Over the Earth: The Life and Death of the Passenger Pigeon – 2014

Created to commemorate the centenary of the passenger pigeon’s extinction, this exhibit featured two rare taxidermied birds courtesy of the Grand Rapids Public Museum as well as educational panels created by Project Passenger Pigeon.

Turning Point: The War of 1812 from the Native American Perspective – 2013

Turning Point: The War of 1812 from the Native American Perspective was produced in collaboration with the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians and its Repatriation, Archives and Records Department. The exhibit examined the War of 1812 and its impact on the Odawa people of Little Traverse Bay region. Though the exhibit is closed, you may still download a PDF file of the exhibit text with bibliography here.

Delightful Destination: Little Traverse Bay at the Turn of the Century – 2012

This exhibit was created by the Clarke Historical Library at Central Michigan University and explored the Little Traverse Bay region’s transportation, cultural, and economic growth during the period between 1890 and 1920. During this time tourists and seasonal residents flocked to waterfront communities around Little Traverse Bay including Petoskey and Harbor Springs. Luxury hotels opened, railroad and steamship companies created elaborate advertising campaigns and an economy and way of life still visible today were created.

Ivan Swift, Artist and Poet – 2011

This exhibit was created by HSAHS with support from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Cheboygan Area Arts Council. The display offered guests a rare opportunity to see the original works of artist and poet Ivan Swift, who was a resident of Harbor Springs throughout much of his life.

Earl H. Mead, Architect – 2010

Produced by HSAHS, this exhibit explored the life and work of architect Earl H. Mead. Mead was a practicing architect in Lansing, Michigan, in the 1890s who began his connection to Harbor Springs by designing summer cottages for resorts such as Harbor Point, Roaring Brook and Wequetonsing. Mead also designed a number of public and commercial buildings during his career including the Harbor Springs High School, Erwin building, Stein building and more.