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. Researchers are welcome and our entire collection is available to view online.

Learn more about how you can research or donate to our collection below.

Donations

We are always searching for relevant Harbor Springs objects and photographs to add to our collection. If you have an item you think the museum might be interested in please contact Collections Manager Beth Wemigwase at  beth@harborspringshistory.org or 231-526-9771.

Research at the Museum

The Historical Society is pleased to make its historical resources available to researchers. All access is coordinated through our Collections Manager. 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 avilable upon request and for an additional fee.

Research Assistance

Historical Society staff are available 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 $20/hour rate with additional fees for scanning, reproductions etc. See our fee schedule. Please note that we have a very small staff and requests cannot always be met quickly.

Use the form below to request assistance.

You will receive an email confirmation when your request has been submitted. If fees apply, you will receive an invoice via email. We will also inform you if we are unable to help with your request (due to staff shortages, etc).