Michigan History (magazine) facts for kids

Michigan History is a magazine about the history of Michigan. It comes out every two months. The Historical Society of Michigan publishes it in Lansing, Michigan.

It started in 1917. The idea was to share Michigan's history with people in Michigan. Today, it's a colorful magazine with 68 pages. Over 20,000 people subscribe to it. Nearly 100,000 people read it!

You can get the magazine by itself. Or, it can be part of your membership with the Historical Society of Michigan.

The Story of Michigan History Magazine

Michigan History magazine has a long past. It began with a yearly book called Michigan Pioneer and Historical Collections. This book was first published in 1874. It stopped being made in 1916.

The next year, in 1917, Michigan History magazine started. It was created by two groups: the Michigan Historical Commission and the Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society. This society is now known as the Historical Society of Michigan.

Early Years of the Magazine

In its early days, Michigan History was a quarterly magazine. This means it came out four times a year. It had essays about Michigan history. It also shared stories about important people. News from historical groups and schools was also included. The magazine also reported on the plans of the Michigan Historical Commission. This commission was a state government department.

For the next 60 years, Michigan History was a scholarly magazine. It had serious essays and book reviews. In 1965, the Historical Society stopped being involved.

Changes in Publication

In 1972, a new group took over the magazine. This was the Division of Michigan History. It was part of the Michigan Department of State. The Michigan Historical Commission still helped as an advisor.

Under the State Department, the magazine changed its style. It became more like a popular magazine. It also started coming out every two months in 1978. The Division of Michigan History later changed its name. It became the Michigan Historical Center in 1995. In 2001, it moved to a new department. This was the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries.

Return to the Historical Society

In July 2009, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm made a special order. This order closed the Department of History, Arts, and Libraries. It also said that Michigan History should go to a non-profit group.

So, on October 1, 2009, the magazine moved. It went back to the Historical Society of Michigan. This is a non-government, non-profit group. It was the same group that helped start the magazine in 1917!

Larry J. Wagenaar leads the Historical Society of Michigan. He became the magazine's publisher. New editors joined the team. Patricia Majher became Editor in fall 2009. She and Assistant Editor Maria Taylor redesigned the magazine in 2016.

After Patricia Majher left in 2016, the Society changed its editorial team. This new team now oversees three magazines. These are Michigan History, Chronicle, and Michigan History for Kids.

The current editorial staff for Michigan History includes Nancy Feldbush as Editor in Chief. Emily Allison is the Features Editor. Amy Wagenaar is the Multimedia Manager. Emily Elliott is the Editorial Assistant. Larry J. Wagenaar is still the magazine's publisher.

What's Inside the Magazine?

Michigan History magazine has many interesting parts.

• Feature Stories: These are the main articles. They are written by experts and historians. They cover Michigan's social life, culture, politics, economy, buildings, and history.
• News Items: You can find news about Michigan's historical groups and museums.
• Remember the Time: This section shares personal memories from people.
• Milestones: This part highlights important moments for Michigan's historical places.
• Book Summaries: Short reviews of new books about Michigan.
• Society Happenings: News about what the Historical Society of Michigan is doing.
• Travel Destinations: Ideas for places to visit in Michigan. These are often from the Historic Michigan Travel Guide.
• Featured Photography: Great pictures that show Michigan's past and present.

Editors in Chief

• George N. Fuller (1917–1946)
• Lewis Beeson (1946-1965)
• George S. May (1966)
• Donald Chaput (1966-1971)
• Martha Bigelow (1972-1973)
• John Hoffman (1973-1975)
• Timothy Walters (1975-1979)
• Sandra S. Clark (1980-1988)
• Roger L. Rosentreter (1988-2009)
• Patricia Majher (2009-2016)
• Nancy Feldbush (2016–2021)
• Emily Allison (2021-present)

Publishers

• Larry J. Wagenaar (2009-present)