In 2021, the Plymouth Historical Museum received a large archival collection belonging to the Pere Marquette Historical Society. In a ten-year agreement between the two organizations, the Plymouth Historical Museum agreed to house this collection, which had been in cold storage for many years. Read about the acquisition here: Plymouth Historical Museum Archives.

The Pere Marquette Historical Society archival collection includes many documents from a railroad known as the trans-Michigan route, from a time when Michigan was crisscrossed by ribbons of steel and railroads sailed across the lakes. Help us preserve and make accessible these important documents for easy reference for historians, genealogists, railfans, and model railroaders. Your donation helps us archive this incredible collection and allows us to digitize and organize for future generations to experience the importance of the Pere Marquette Railroad to both the Plymouth area and the State of Michigan.

In order to accommodate the collection, the Museum's archives needs a major upgrade. Funds will be used for:

Archival Assistant salary (for processing the collection)
New furniture (lighter and more practical desks and tables to lighten the floor load)
New computer accessories (book scanner and microfilm scanner)
Website upgrade (adding digital collections to the archives page)

We started this campaign on GoFundMe, where we raised $2,025. We've moved the campaign here to ensure that your donations go where you want them to go.

In addition to seeking $28,000 for this upgrade, we also have sponsorship opportunities available. Please click on the contact link to contact Elizabeth Kerstens, executive director, if you're interested in sponsoring a portion of the archival upgrade. Her phone is 734-455-8940 x9 and email is director@plymouthhistory.org.

The Plymouth Historical Museum, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, is dedicated to preserving, teaching, and presenting history through inspiring exhibits, programs, and archival materials.

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