Promote Michigan

Author: Dianna Stampfler

Archaeological Dig
Featured Destination
Dianna Stampfler

Mackinac State Historic Parks Celebrates Longest-Running Archaeological Dig in American History

In 1959, the Mackinac Island State Park Commission contracted with Michigan State University to carry out a season of excavation, which has continued every summer since, turning into one of the longest ongoing archaeological digs in North America. This summer, Mackinac State Historic Parks’ archaeological program began its 60th consecutive season of work at Colonial Michilimackinac, in Mackinaw City, on Friday, May 24, with the cleaning and preparation of the dig site, and the kicked-off in full on June 4.

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West Michigan Pike
Featured Destination
Dianna Stampfler

Touring the Newest Pure Michigan Byway™

Last summer [2016], a 184-mile stretch of the West Michigan Pike, from St. Joseph to Silver Lake, became the state’s latest Pure Michigan Byway™ during a public ceremony at Muskegon’s Heritage Landing. The Michigan Beachtowns Association, which represents more than a dozen shoreline communities, collaborated with Travel Michigan and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to develop the byway.

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News Releases
Dianna Stampfler

Daughter-in-Law of Famed Author Ernest Hemingway to share Stories with the General Public, April 28, in Walloon Lake

Valerie Hemingway, former personal assistant for and later daughter-in-law of the Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winning author, is the guest of honor at a special program on Saturday, April 28 at t The Talcott Event Center in Walloon Lake. The event is part of a three-day “The Last Good Country: Walloon Lake, An Ernest Hemingway Occasion” weekend at the award-winning Hotel Walloon.

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Meal 4
Promote Michigan Blog
Dianna Stampfler

Cooking Up Food & Friendships

Growing up, many family traditions were centered around the table. After launching Promote Michigan in 2004, I found myself drawn to certain sectors of the hospitality industry: restaurants, wineries, breweries, distilleries, farm markets and agricultural organizations. Yes, I found a way to get paid to eat and drink…how lucky! I was also building a network and often friendships with chefs who were eager to feed my desire to learn more about locally-sourced ingredients and unique ways to prepare them into delicious dishes.

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News Releases
Dianna Stampfler

St. Julian Brings Home 34 Medals from International Eastern Wine Competition

St. Julian Winery was recently presented a total of 34 medals—including one “Best of Show,” four “Best of Class” and three “Double Gold” awards—at the International Eastern Wine Competition held February 6-7 in Santa Rosa, CA. St. Julian was one of five Michigan wineries from four distinct federally-recognized American Viticultural Region (AVAs) to participate in the competition.

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Hotel Walloon
Featured Destination
Dianna Stampfler

Hotel Walloon presents The Last Good Country: Walloon Lake, An Ernest Hemingway Occasion

Hotel Walloon is pleased to present The Last Good Country: Walloon Lake, an Ernest Hemingway Occasion. This third annual event celebrating Ernest Hemingway’s connection to the northern Michigan area will take place Friday, April 27 through Sunday, April 29, with special guest Valerie Hemingway, who was both a personal assistant and daughter-in-law to the late author.

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Northern Lights and Light Tower
Promote Michigan Blog
Dianna Stampfler

Celebrating Michigan’s Irish Communities

Irish immigration to Michigan dates back to the early 1800s, with a heavy increase between 1845 and 1855 during a period of famine in Ireland, lasting well into the 1920s. Starting first in Detroit, the Irish made their way north and westward, landing throughout both the Lower and Upper Peninsulas where they found work in factories, fishing villages and copper mines. Nearly one-third of Michigan’s foreign-born population was from Ireland in 1870. Today, only about 10% of the state’s 9.9 million population is of Irish descent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Ladies of the Lights
Promote Michigan Blog
Dianna Stampfler

Shedding Light on Michigan’s Historic Female Keepers

Serving as a lighthouse keeper was the only “non-clerical” government job that women were allowed to have in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Michigan had more than 60 women documented as lighthouse keepers at these historic beacons, often serving as assistant keepers with their husbands, fathers or brothers—and in the case of tragedy, many were promoted to the role of head keeper.

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