LANSING, Mich. — The Historical Society of Michigan (HSM) announced its 2023 State History Award winners, who will be recognized during the 149th Annual Meeting and Michigan History Conference on September 22-24, 2023, which will take place in Roscommon-Grayling. The Society presents the State History Awards every year to individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the appreciation, collection, preservation and/or promotion of state and local history. The awards are the highest recognition presented by HSM, the state’s official historical society and oldest cultural organization.
HSM will present a State History Award in the category of Books: University & Commercial Press to Great Women of Mackinac: 1800-1950 by Melissa Croghan, published by Michigan State University Press. The book follows the histories of 13 women who were leaders on Mackinac Island in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. A native of Mackinac Island—with family history dating back to the 1880s—Croghan delves into each woman’s distinct visions of family and community, revealing how they inspired and led other island residents in industries such as fur trade, farming, writing, and community building.
The Annual Meeting and Michigan History Conference explores significant people, places and events in Michigan’s past through a diverse offering of keynote speakers, breakout sessions, workshops and tours. The 2023 event features unique content focused on the history of Roscommon and Grayling and the surrounding Northern Lower Michigan community.
