171-year-old Ojibwa Museum Building To Receive Natural Siding Material
By Karen Gould

Deteriorating wood siding at Marquette Mission Park and Museum of Ojibwa Culture in St. Ignace will be replaced with either natural cedar or pine siding rather than a synthetic material, the Downtown Development Authority decided Friday, February 8. The board has been consulting with state preservationists and agreed that retaining the historic integrity of the 171-year-old building is more important than the additional maintenance the natural wood will require through the years. Rough estimates of the siding replacement cost are expected when the board convenes in March.

Reichlin Painting of Cedarville was the low bidder chosen to paint the interior walls and tin ceiling. Painting is set to begin this week.

Built in 1837, the museum is a former catholic church and was designated a national historic landmark in 1960.

"How can we justify putting synthetic material on such an historic building?" said Museum Director Shirley Sorrels following the meeting. "We may have to paint it more often, but it will be the right thing to do."

Mrs. Sorrels has sought the advice of historical architect Robert McKay, who works in the Michigan Historic Preservation Office.

The DDA had considered replacing the wood siding with synthetic cement fiber siding at its January meeting.

Cedar and pine, she said, widely used in the Straits area at the time of the building's construction, are being considered as replacement for the mixture of wood siding that is now on the building. The replacement wood will be primed and painted on both sides before it is put on the museum. A final coat of paint would be added after the siding is completely installed.

The DDA will seek a U.S. Department of Agriculture loan for the project.

Also discussed last Friday were plans for the Chief Wawatam engine and summer lamppost banners marking the 100th sailing of the Chicago-to-Mackinac Island yacht race. A two-year contract for city flower beds was awarded to The Cedars of Mackinac of St. Ignace.

Rich Reichlin of Reichlin Painting attended the meeting. His was the lowest of four bids at $17,990. Also bidding were Native Painting of Mackinac Island at $45,275, Complete Coatings of Beaverton at $20,315, and Birchwood Painting and Decorating of Harbor Springs at $29,885.

The tin ceiling will be painted a gold tone, said Mrs. Sorrels, and the walls will be three shades of green to help create a forest look. Mr. Reichlin brought in paint experts to make recommendations on the best paint for the interior walls before he placed his bid, said Mrs. Sorrels.

"Using the right material in the right spot," said Mr. Reichlin, "is important to me."

He expects the job will take about six weeks.

A drawing of the planned park on the Railroad Dock once used by the Chief Wawatam rail ferry will be on display at a public hearing set for February 18 at 8 p.m. at Little Bear East Convention Center.

The DDA was turned down for $134,000 grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund in December and is reapplying. Last year, the DDA budgeted $23,000 to the project and reconfirmed its financial commitment to the project Friday. The DDA funds would be spread out over two years beginning this year, if the grant is awarded.

The Kiwanis Club is contributing $5,000 and the Lions Club has pledged $3,000, said DDA Director Deb Evashevski, and the county has promised $10,000.

The Chief Wawatam engine and a six-foot flywheel is expected to arrive in St. Ignace by April. The engine display can be a static in motion. Setting up a display with moving parts would require much more labor, noted City Manager Eric Dodson.

Jack Purvis, owner of Purvis Marine of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, is donating the engine and its transportation to St. Ignace, which will be on four trucks. It is one of two stern engines from the ship.

A second stern engine is in Canada at the Algoma Steel plant and is included in the Soo Locks boat tours. The ship's bow engine is on display at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc.

Purvis Marine converted the Chief Wawatam to a barge in the mid-1980s.

The city eventually would like to see the engine on display in the proposed History of Transportation Museum. The first committee meeting for the museum will be February 18 at 4 p.m. Committee members include DDA board member Don Schairer, Mackinac Bridge Executive Secretary Bob Sweeney, St. Ignace resident Ollie Boynton, Mayor Paul Grondin, and City Councilman Don Gustafson.

The DDA will contribute $600 to the Mackinac County Home and Garden Show at Little Bear East Convention Center.

The event is organized by Housing Opportunities Made Equal and is scheduled for April 18 and April 19.

The DDA will contact the Chicago Yacht Club to see if artwork is available for lamppost banners marking the 100th sailing of the Chicago-to-Mackinac Island yacht race. The board would sell the banners at the end of the season.

A two-year contract was given to Carol Bell of The Cedars of Mackinac for planting and maintaining city flower gardens.

The DDA will pay $15,097 in 2008 and $14,447 in 2009 because some gardens will require less work as perennial flowers become established. In 2007, the DDA paid $12,375.