Kalamazoo Valley Museum to Host Virtual Discovery Series Lectures

The Kalamazoo Valley Museum’s Sunday Discovery Series is going digital this fall.

A Discovery Series talk by author Pamela Cameron premieres on YouTube and Facebook at 1:30 p.m. on October 18.

Cameron, a Kalamazoo resident, first heard about Sport, a Newfoundland Retriever, when she was reading about the lighthouses of Michigan. Sport was rescued by the United States Lighthouse Service Tender the Hyacinth in 1914 and then lived on the ship for the next twelve years as it delivered supplies to all of the lighthouses on Lake Michigan. Sport was a valued companion to the crew and a recognizable mascot of the lake, making friends in every port. Cameron will share the process of her research using the National Archives and maritime history collections in the Great Lakes area. The program will show how historic pictorial resources were used to create the illustrations for the story. The backstory of the crew and their lives onboard the ship will be discussed.

Sport, Ship Dog of the Great Lakes has won the Historical Society of Michigan’s 2019 State History Award for Children’s/Youth Book, the 2019 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award, and the Library of Michigan’s 2020 Notable Book awards.

On November 11, also premiering at 1:30 p.m. on YouTube and Facebook, DNR Fisheries Biologist Matt Diana presents The Ecology of Dams.

He will talk about how dams change the ecology of a river, including issues and opportunities for restoration through dam operation, modification, and potential removal, as well as what happens when dams need repair or fail. We will explore how fish and other aquatic organisms, as well as river processes, relate to dams and the complexity involved in managing aging infrastructure. Matt will draw on DNR experience with multiple projects throughout the Kalamazoo and other local watersheds and will answer questions regarding local projects.

The Museum is offering a series of water-related programs to celebrate Michigan’s Great Lakes and the use of and reliance on our waterways. As the Museum continues "Following the Water," look for a variety of digital offerings sure to provide something for everyone. Follow the Museum on social media, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. All programs will be listed at kalamazoomuseum.org.

The Kalamazoo Valley Museum is operated by Kalamazoo Valley Community College and is governed by its Board of Trustees.