From Deer Trails to Virtual Work: A Hike Through Intersections of History
(A "Tuesday Talk" presented on July 12, 2022, at 11 AM in the garden behind the History Center in Douglas MI)
This eclectic talk makes historical connections between hiking and Mount Baldhead Park, Oak Openings, the Forward Movement, the Allegan Trail, and more. The ability to walk is a characteristic that distinguishes humans from animals. People have been ambling along for 200,000 years, but deliberately walking for pleasure is a relatively new idea. Learn how hiking evolved as a recreational activity and how it intersects with historical phenomena such as Romanticism, industrialization, urbanization, the Information Age, transportation, labor laws, conservation, national parks, and summer camps. The talk ends with a look at what the future could hold.
Presented by Chris Clark - https://gchrisclark.com/ - retired educator and local hiking enthusiast.
RiverWood Council - https://www.riverwoodcouncil.org/
Radar Hill Hiking Club - https://radarhill.club/
The mission of the Saugatuck-Douglas History Center (SDHC) - https://www.mySDhistory.org - is to preserve local history and inspire learning to inform and improve our community. We were founded as the S-D Historical Society in 1986. Today, we are a volunteer-run organization 700+ members strong that saves and shares the stories of the greater Saugatuck-Douglas area.
This activity is supported by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. The SDHC also receives support from the Allegan County Community Foundation Legacy Grant program. Most of all, we rely on members for all we do; join us today at https://mysdhistory.org/join/