An old brick vault in the heart of Harbor Springs is the new home for oral history. The Harbor Springs Area Historical Society recently opened a new recording space in one of the Harbor Springs History Museum’s vaults, specifically for the community to come in and record their oral histories.
The Historical Society has always placed a high priority on protecting the past, and this “Voices from the Vault” exhibit exemplifies that mission.
“Everyone is welcome to visit the vault not only to record their own personal history but to look through transcriptions of oral histories already in the museum’s collection,” shares Executive Director Kristyn Balog.
In addition to the vault, which serves as a repository for local history, the second floor of the museum hosts genealogy research stations. Open during regular business hours, the community is encouraged to engage in exclusive free access to ancestry.com via the society’s subscription.
Staff members are on hand to help visitors learn how ancestry.com works, and are available to answer other general genealogy questions. Of course, advanced notice of arrival is always appreciated.
“We preserve and protect the heritage of the Harbor Springs area. It is our mission to bring that history to life and to help spark an interest in local and personal history with the people in our community,” explains Kristyn, inviting the community to visit their grand building on East Main Street.
To keep tabs on the ever-evolving, historic heartbeat of Harbor Springs, check out the Historical Society’s downtown headquarters or harborspringshistory.org.