The Dowagiac Area History Museum kicks off its 2017 Fall Lecture Series at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 6, with Al McGeehan’s program, “Honoring Michigan’s First Veterans: Michigan In the Civil War.”

More than 155 years ago as America rushed headlong into armed conflict, 90,000 Michiganders came forward to support President Lincoln’s call to defend our Union.  These Michigan soldiers became our state’s first military veterans who are among those honored each year on Veteran’s Day.

Almost 15,000 Michigan men and boys died to defend their nation against armed rebellion.  After one early battle and referring to the heroism of one particular regiment from our state, Lincoln publicly spoke the now well-known line, “thank God for Michigan.”

McGeehan’s program will tell the story of Michigan’s role in the Civil War through the spoken word and his collection of Civil War artifacts. He will return the audience to those tumultuous days of 1861 through 1865 when America’s Civil War touched every household from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to the Indiana line and from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron.

Al McGeehan is a graduate of Hope College and a retired teacher of American History at Holland High School.  He served on the Holland City Council for 32 years and as the Mayor of the City of Holland.  Al has authored a book and numerous magazine articles on the American Civil War.  For 40 years he has brought his story and collection to eager student, adult and senior groups across our state and beyond.

The lecture series continues Oct. 4 with “The British and Indian War: American Indians During the Revolution,” by Dr. Jeff Dennis. On Nov. 1, author Chriss Lyon will tell the tale of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre and how its perpetrator was captured in southwest Michigan with her program, “Fred Burke: The Most Wanted Man In American in 1929.” Artist Rick Herter and Museum Director Steve Arseneau will close out the series on Nov. 21 with “Iven Gets Iven: The Making of a Kincheloe Painting.”

The programs are free to museum members and costs $5 to nonmembers. Children under 18 years of age are also free. Membership will be available at the museum for those interested.

The museum is located at the corner of Division and West Railroad Streets. For more information, call the Dowagiac Area History Museum at (269) 783-2560 or visit dowagiacmuseum.info.