culture-category-image

Our CULTURE category dives into the truly unique people and happenings of the Upper Peninsula.

Recently Published

Talking to Dirk Wierenga and Paul Sturgul About Their New Documentary “Route 2 Elsewhere”

In the latest episode of the Rural Insights Podcast, David Haynes sits down with Dirk Wierenga, director of the documentary “Route 2 Elsewhere” and his colleague Paul Sturgul who helped promote the film.

Read More

Pearl Windsor: A Trailblazer for Women Educators in the UP

March is National Women’s History Month, and the Upper Peninsula has been home to countless exceptional women who have made a unique mark on history. Pearl Windsor of Iron River was one such woman.

Read More

Boom and Bust: Calumet and Keweenaw National Historical Park 30 Years On

A new research publication by Rural Insights contributor Michael Broadway and NMU student researcher Joslin Brown takes a look at the Keweenaw National Historical Park in Calumet, MI in the Upper Peninsula, and the park’s impact on the Calumet area’s economic development.

Read More

The Frostbitten Convention: How the UP Became Part of Michigan

At the event most commonly known as the “Frostbitten Convention,” the Michigan Territory officially accepted the terms that led to the Upper Peninsula becoming part of the new State of Michigan.

Read More

Christmas Comes to the Upper Peninsula

The observance of Christmas in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is a remarkable 361-year chronicle of transformation. Read Dr. Russell Magnaghi’s history of Christmas in the UP and the holiday traditions various immigrant groups practiced, which have all influenced how people celebrate Christmas in the UP today.

Read More