The Clarke Historical Library has a new acquisition that is very interesting not because of its content but because of its pages. The book is made entirely of birch bark. The souvenir book holds sketches of sites in and around Petoskey, Michigan. Though it is small with just 10 pages, its unusual composition is worth checking out. The title of the birch bark book is Souvenir of Petoskey Michigan and it was published around 1900. Some of the pictures in the pint sized book include the Arlington Hotel and a bird’s eye view of Petoskey. The pages are surprisingly thin. The birch bark grain can be clearly seen. The book’s texture can be felt by the reader. One of the neat things about the Clarke Historical Library is we allow patrons to use our collection with few limitations.
Our current exhibit focuses on Petoskey and the Little Traverse Bay area as tourist destinations at the turn of the 20th century. So, come on in and peruse the birch bark book and our exhibit, as well as many other interesting and informative items in the Clarke. For information on the Clarke Historical Library’s current exhibit click here.