The Northern Michigan historical consortium is official, said the consortium's recorder Joann P. Leal of Mackinaw City, and already is making plans to create greater public awareness of their groups, enhance their operations, and improve communication among themselves.

The consortium includes historical preservation groups in nine northern Michigan counties, Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Presque Isle, Montmorency, Otsego, and Leelanau. About 40 preservation groups are known to operate in the region, Mrs. Leal said, and about 20 of them have attended at least one of the two organizational meetings held this fall. A consortium will enable them to share their concerns, needs, goals, and solutions to the challenges they face, she said.

The group, tentatively called the Historical Consortium of Northern Michigan, organized following the strong turnout of organizations attending an exploratory meeting October 17 at Audies. Thirteen people attended a second meeting Saturday, November 21, at the Cheboygan Area Public Library to discuss goals and organizational structure. Among the participants were members of the Mackinaw Area Historical Society and the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association.

Enhancing the preservation groups' visibility could be assisted by connecting with the Pure Michigan campaign. By linking their Web sites to popular travel Web sites, Mrs. Leal said, visitors are more likely to view each organization's Web site. Members also discussed obtaining permission to use "Pure History" as a slogan for advertising themselves.

Among inter-communications strategies discussed were compiling a master list of historical organizations in the region and creating a contact list that would be regularly updated. Fred Gray of the Mackinaw Area Historical Society suggested members make coordinated visits to each other's facilities to familiarize everyone with what consortium members are doing and to get ideas for their own operations.

How the consortium will be structured will be determined in a future meeting, Mrs. Leal said. The group must determine if it wants to elect officers or take a more relaxed approach to its design.

Members will meet the third Saturday of every other month at the facilities of a different member each time. The next meeting will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 16, at Brush Creek Mill in Hillman.