Bergland Cultural & Heritage Center to Host "Garden Party" August 1st

IRONWOOD, MI. - Thursday, July 30, 2009 - Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Come to Bergland, Michigan, this Saturday, and join the Friends of the Bergland Cultural and Heritage Center for a garden party. The “party” starts at 10:00 AM (ET), 9:00 AM (CT).

Through a grant from the US Forest Service, donations, and a lot of hard work, the Friends of the Bergland Cultural and Heritage Center created a native plant garden from scratch last summer. Every wildflower, shrub, fern, grass, etc., is labeled so visitors can see what’s growing and judge whether the plant(s) would do well in their own garden. As the name implies, all are native to the western UP. The garden also has information on other native plants and plants that attract butterflies and birds.

A very special dedication of this garden to Reggie McDonald, who gave thousands of hours to the Bergland community over his lifetime, will take place at 11:00 AM (EST). Reggie was instrumental in establishing the Friends of the Bergland Cultural and Heritage Center group.

The “garden party” will also serve as official start of the newest partnership on the Bergland site. The former Rangers’ house is now home to the Matchwood/Bergland Historical Society. This location provides the Society with their first-ever facility to showcase the history of the area. All of the class photos from the Bergland School are here, along with many other pictures and artifacts from the community’s long history.

In addition, local woodcarvers will be on hand to display their works, demonstrate carving techniques, and answer questions. Some carvings will be available for purchase. There will also be a quilt show, featuring the beautiful creations of the Lake Gogebic Community Quilters. Several local musicians will perform and dessert, coffee, water, and other refreshments will be available for purchase. All proceeds are used to maintain the buildings (listed on the National Historic Register) and grounds.

For more information, contact Friends of Bergland President Phil Ellsworth at (906) 575-9004, Matchwood/Bergland Historical Society President Brad Livingston at (906) 360-0012, or the Ottawa National Forest at (906) 932-1330.