The Castle Museum of Saginaw County History

06/24/2026

Widget says Drop Everything And Read! We love D.E.A.R. at the Zoo! Thanks READ Association of Saginaw County and Saginaw Children's Zoo !

06/24/2026

Today (6/24) is a GREAT day to visit the Zoo! Join Ms. Kristi and all our friends from the READ Association for DEAR at the Zoo from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Free admission for the first 200 kids (Regular admission thereafter). And there are lots of additional activities and games from all our friends. See you there!

06/23/2026

Our Flights of Freedom event is coming up on Wednesday, July 8, from 6-8 p.m., where, for just $20 a ticket, guests will have a chance to enjoy their choice of a beer, hard cider, or non-alcoholic lemonade flight to accompany our "flight" of freedom, presented by several local celebrities dressed as these historic figures. Care to guess who's playing who? Drop your best guesses below! 🇺🇸

Tickets are going FAST so be sure to buy yours today at https://loom.ly/VAte_pU

06/23/2026

Lunch & Learn is coming up again TODAY, June 23, at noon. We'll be hearing from Ryan Baker on "A Collective Effort: Saginaw's Amateur Archaeologists." Afterward, Curator Sandy Schwan will be available to scan images as part of the Chronicling Our Past program, so be sure to bring in your Saginaw history photos, too! (1-4 p.m.)

06/23/2026

Congratulations once again to our own Ms. Kristi on this prestigious honor! 👏

Congratulations to Kristi Furtaw, Education Coordinator at the Castle Museum of Saginaw County History, who is winner of this year's HLC Humanities Educator of the Year award.

Kristi was nominated by her colleague at the Castle Museum, Katherine Ellison, who writes:

"Through the Museum’s Time Machine program, Kristi brings history directly into classrooms across nearly every public school district in Saginaw County, as well as several private and parochial schools. Reaching students in grades K–5, she delivers engaging, curriculum-aligned lessons on topics ranging from map interpretation to coal mining, lumbering, and archaeology—all rooted in the rich history of Saginaw County and Michigan.

What sets Kristi apart is not only the breadth of her reach, but the depth of her impact. Nearly every day, she travels from school to school, transforming history into a vivid, hands-on experience that sparks curiosity and connection. Her lessons don’t end in the classroom—Kristi thoughtfully coordinates follow-up field trips to the Castle Museum, where students can encounter the artifacts and exhibits that bring their learning full circle. This seamless integration of in-school and on-site education creates meaningful, lasting impressions for young learners."

06/22/2026

Shirley Chisholm wasn't waiting for permission.

"The law cannot do for women what women must do for themselves."

Trailblazer. Barrier-breaker. First Black woman elected to Congress. Zero patience for excuses.

At Flights of Freedom, you'll hear Chisholm's words come alive alongside other historic voices who challenged America to be better.

Meanwhile, you'll enjoy your choice of:
🍺 A flight of beer
🍎 A flight of hard cider
🍋 A flight of non-alcoholic lemonade

Because courage is inspiring—and inspiration pairs surprisingly well with cider.

🎟 Tickets are just $20/person, and seating is limited.
Reserve yours today at:
https://loom.ly/VAte_pU
📅 July 8 | 6–8 p.m.
🥂 Let's Raise Our Glasses to History.

06/22/2026

Another Monday--another FUN-day! Join us this week for Lunch & Learn on Tuesday, 6/23, at Noon, then stop by the Zoo for D.E.A.R. on Wednesday, 6/24, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. and get tattooed by Ms. Kristi 🦫....and then next week we're already into July with another adventure on Wednesday...phew! Where is the time going? Catch us for a fun event before summer ends! ☀️

06/22/2026

What a fun morning chatting with Arts Saginaw and Janet about the Castle Test Kitchen! Be sure to check out our latest exhibit, Changing Tastes, on past restaurants in Saginaw, and join us every Sunday morning for a fresh blog post from the Castle Test Kitchen!

06/21/2026

While the rainy skies of late aren't exactly picnic weather, the scent of peonies in the air has us longing for those leisurely summer afternoons on the sprawling lawn of Bliss Park, sandwich in hand, admiring the fragrant blooms that helped beautify the urban landscape. Dream with us this morning...of better weather...and a peony picnic in Bliss Park... https://loom.ly/LdldOsU

06/20/2026

The Artifact: A Book–Greater Saginaw, a Presentation of Her Resources, Achievements, and Possibilities: an Authentic Compilation of Her Industrial, Financial, and Civic Activities

Published in 1912 by The Saginaw Daily News, Greater Saginaw, a Presentation of Her Resources, Achievements And Possibilities: an Authentic Compilation of Her Industrial, Financial And Civic Activities, provides a glowing portrait of Saginaw – of what was then Michigan's third-largest city by population. Perhaps the portrait is a little bit “retouched;” the book is, quite frankly, a promotional piece. Its production appears to have been part of the Saginaw Board of Trade’s comprehensive “Greater Saginaw” promotional campaign.

Published by The Saginaw Daily News, little has been found about the person who compiled the book, H. W. Gardner. He/she is almost certainly the same person who worked on the remarkably similar Fort Wayne, Indiana: A Presentation of her Resources, Achievements and Possibilities. There appear to be other similar volumes - each providing a uniquely local portrait and published by a local newspaper. And each was connected by an almost identical title–only the name of the city was changed.

To access a full copy of Greater Saginaw, a Presentation of Her Resources, Achievements And Possibilities: an Authentic Compilation of Her Industrial, Financial And Civic Activities:
https://loom.ly/f5whLTw

The museum’s copy of Greater Saginaw, a Presentation of Her Resources, Achievements And Possibilities: an Authentic Compilation of Her Industrial, Financial And Civic Activities was donated to the museum as part of a large collection of Saginaw ephemera donated from the estate of Gary Fogelsonger.