Public invited to preview Idlewild Heritage Trail concepts

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Image for Public invited to Idlewild Heritage Trail Open House is a logo for the Idlewild Black Heritage Trail. Historic Idlewild Michigan. The image includes a drawing of pine and leafy trees above stepped planters beside a still lake reflecting the trees. Beneath the words is an orange outline of Michigan's Lower and Upper Peninsulas set in a blue background with white wavy lines signifying the Great Lakes.

From a Yates Township press announcement

IDLEWILD, Mich. — Yates Township will host an open house for the Idlewild Heritage Trail from noon to 6 p.m., Friday, Oct. 30, in the gymnasium at the Yates Township Hall and Festival Grounds, 6437 S. Nelson Rd.  During the free event, community members and visitors may preview concepts for the trail and take a self-guided tour of 20 miniature mock historical signs representing potential trail sites.

Brief public programs will begin at 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Yates Township Supervisor Chris J. Grier will be available throughout the event.

“Idlewild’s history lives in its buildings and shorelines, but also in its families, businesses, faith, music and memory,” said Grier, who is also an Idlewild historian and archivist. “This open house gives the community a chance to see the vision, suggest stories and help shape a trail that is accurate, beautiful and rooted in Idlewild.” (Read more below ads.)

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The open house is designed to be a community-engagement event. The mock locations are potential sites only; they have not all been approved, and not all property owners have been contacted. Official historic signs, participating sites and installation locations remain in the finalization stage.

The concepts were created by Pensole Lewis College students through work sponsored by Merrell, a subsidiary of Wolverine World Wide, Inc. The actual large-format Idlewild and Flamingo display signs shown at the Black Footwear Forum in Detroit will also be featured.

In June, Yates Township secured funding for the initial creation and installation of 5 of the planned 25 trail sites as Phase One. The broader vision is to invite artists from Idlewild and adjacent communities to create interpretive signs combining original artwork, a concise site history and a QR code connecting visitors to more information about Idlewild’s places, families and people.

Applications and interest forms will be available for artists, potential historic sites, sponsors and project partners.

Refreshments will be provided. For more information, visit IdlewildHeritageTrail.com or contact Yates Township at 231-7453940.

Read more stories about the Idlewild community HERE.

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