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History Hounds® Lecture Series

Our History Hounds® Lecture Series offers weekly in-depth programs where attendees can curl up with historical topics.

 

"Sniff out" the past with History Hounds

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Enjoy learning about Michigan history in a casual setting? Our lectures are for you!

Join us for our weekly History Hounds® presentations and discover more of Michigan's history. From the Underground Railroad to shipwrecks, our diverse offering of lectures are a popular event for our members and community. You can find a schedule of upcoming topics and speakers below.

Did you know? ALL of our History Hounds lectures are FREE for HSM members—including a robust library of recorded past lectures. Learn more about HSM membership here.

or call us at (800) 692-1828

Upcoming Lectures

NOTE: Registration for each History Hounds® event closes 3 hours prior to the event time—9 a.m. ET for Tuesday midday lectures and 4 p.m. ET for Wednesday evening lectures.

Registrations completed after those times will not be processed in time for live viewing of the event. 

Now displaying 8 filtered results.

Events

Fly Me to the Moon? The Story of the First Lady Astronaut Trainees

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Virtual

In 1961, Dr. William Randolph Lovelace II invited the nation’s best female airplane pilots to his medical facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he subjected them to physical and psychological exams designed to determine if they had “the right stuff” to fly in space. Now commonly known as the Mercury 13, that class of First Lady Astronaut Trainees (FLATs) included twins, a senator's wife, a few mothers, and a woman who would realize their shared dream of becoming an astronaut 60 years later.

Read More About Fly Me to the Moon? The Story of the First Lady Astronaut Trainees

Shifting Sands: Shaping Saugatuck's Natural Landscape

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Virtual

Explore the layered history of the Lake Michigan shoreline near the mouth of the Kalamazoo River. This program examines the important role of forests in the history of the Saugatuck and Douglas area—touching on the lore of “Michigan’s Pompeii,” the mill town of Singapore. Additionally, attendees will delve into the cultural significance of the area’s environmental history, including the rise of West Michigan’s fruit industry and the wooden architecture of steamship and automobile tourism.

Read More About Shifting Sands: Shaping Saugatuck's Natural Landscape

Trailblazers and Icons: The Great Women of Mackinac, 1800-1950

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Virtual

The great women of Mackinac were trailblazers who established the community on Mackinac Island. They were leaders in the island’s fur trade, healthcare, literature, horse culture, and education, and their lives ran the gamut from scandal to tragedy. The personal stories of those women—including Madeline Laframboise, Agatha Biddle, Margaret Fuller, and Daisy Blodgett—reveal inventiveness and perseverance in a time when women had few rights.

Read More About Trailblazers and Icons: The Great Women of Mackinac, 1800-1950

Grand Rapids, The Furniture City: An Enduring History

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Virtual

Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, a group of cabinetmakers and entrepreneurs remade a Michigan river town  into the center of furniture production in the United States. Yet, far from a simple story of luck and perseverance, the city’s success was achieved by vision, skill, trials, and struggle—including the furniture strike of 1911. Far more than a place to buy chairs and tables, “Furniture City, U.S.A.” is the product of a community’s shared determination.

Read More About Grand Rapids, The Furniture City: An Enduring History
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Looking for recordings of past lectures?

HSM members can access past lectures on demand! You must be logged in with an active membership to view past recordings of History Hounds® and all your other benefits.

Schedule

Programs alternate each week between Wednesday evenings (7 p.m. Eastern) and Tuesday afternoons (12 p.m. Eastern) and last for approximately one hour. All programs will be virtual until further notice. Browse upcoming lectures below, and sign up today!

Details

  • History Hounds® is FREE for HSM members – both individuals and organizations
  • Nonmembers can attend for $7 per event
  • Instructions for joining the virtual program will be sent to registered attendees one day prior to the scheduled lecture
  • Attendees who sign up the same day as the event can find the instructions for joining on the event listing after completing registration
Hank Meijer presenting a History Hounds lecture
Michigan History and Chronicle magazine

Get the most out of Michigan's history

If you're considering attending one of our History Hounds® lectures, or have participated in a previous one, we encourage you to check out our HSM membership program. ALL of our History Hounds® lectures are free with an HSM membership—and you'll be able to re-watch or catch up on missed lectures at your leisure using your online account.

The membership is a great way to save and enjoy all of our additional history content. All HSM members receive event discounts, free access to weekly History Hounds® live lectures and previously recorded lectures, both Michigan History and Chronicle magazines, and more. 

Questions? 

We'd love to help! Reach out to our HSM staff today at hsm@hsmichigan.org or by calling us at (517) 324-1828.