Andrew Kercher Lectures & Tours

12/12/2024

It's always interesting to see a house when new compared to today. Take a look at this neat little bungalow that appeared brand new in the Times Herald this week 90 years ago in 1934. It still stands today, even with the little one car garage. I imagine the original owners would be quite surprised to see the pink Barbie car parked there today!

Are you lucky enough to have any old photos of your home?

12/09/2024

100 years ago today was Port Huron's first million dollar fire! Port Huron had a bad reputation for many fires over the years, and in 1924 it was the last of the major grain elevators in town. The Grand Trunk elevators at the foot of Minnie street would be consumed in a fire that could be seen for miles. Thousands would turn out as the early morning blaze consumed tens of thousands of bushels of mixed grains, and threatened to destroy the cargo barge Alexander Maitland. The ship's mooring ropes eventually burned away, but not before the ship was also on fire. It would drift to Marysville, where the hull got so hot it glowed red.

What's the biggest fire you remember seeing?

12/05/2024

Tonight! I'll be headed to Sterling Heights to talk all about the history of Michigan as told in 10 shipwrecks!

This Thursday! Register here: https://sterling-heights.events.mylibrary.digital/event?id=116324

11/23/2024

11/20/2024

More than a Tower: Lighthouse Technology with Andrew Kercher

Michigan has 129 of them, but how do they work? Join us Monday, November 25, from 6 - 7 p.m., at the St. Clair Library to learn about the latest advancements in navigational aids and maritime safety. This informative session will explore the evolution of lighthouses from traditional structures to modern, technologically advanced beacons. From the early use of lenses and mirrors to the incorporation of electricity and automation, the lecture will highlight key milestones and innovations that have shaped the history of lighthouse technology.

For more information and to register, please call (810) 329-3951 or click here: https://sccl-mi.libcal.com/event/12886477?hs=a

11/19/2024

Happy 80th to Sanborn Gratiot Memorial Home!

11/15/2024

Great Lakes Titanic: SS Eastland with Andrew Kercher

Although few know of it, anyone who hears the story will never forget it. The sinking of the SS Eastland, constructed in Port Huron, represents the most significant loss of life from a maritime disaster on the Great Lakes. Hear this thrilling tale at the G. Lynn Campbell Library on Thursday, November 21, from 6 - 7 p.m.

For more information and to register, please call (810) 982-9171 or click here: https://sccl-mi.libcal.com/event/12711211?hs=a

11/13/2024

Tonight! A new lecture in Wixom!

Historian Andrew Kercher will be back on Wednesday, November 13, 2024 at 6:30pm, to present the rise, fall, and rise again of the ‘Vehicle City’, Flint, MI - from motor city powerhouse to public health disaster to a community hard at work at making itself bigger and better than before.

Registration required at https://tinyurl.com/4butvfmw

11/09/2024

Made it to Hillsdale!

11/08/2024

11/07/2024

Happy 125th birthday Packard Motor! My '58 may not be the prettiest car to bear the Packard name, but it is still part of their story and legacy. Take it from me, because you can always, "Ask The Man Who Owns One!" Find out the whole story by booking my Packard lecture sometime, or request it at your local library!

11/06/2024

On my way to Oxford tonight!

❤️🤍🩵 Please join us for our Lighthouses of Michigan program at Oxford Public Library on Wednesday, November 6 from 6:30pm - 8:00pm. https://www.miopl.org/event/always-welcome-sight-lighthouses-michigan-6390

Lighthouses are a critical piece of infrastructure and iconic pieces of architecture, join historian Andrew Kercher to find out more about these sentries on the lakeshore. Learn the how and why of some of the most famous lights that have guided everything from 1,000 feet freighters to sailboats on the Great Lakes since the 1820s. Hear stories of ever-changing technology, government corruption, German saboteurs and lifesaving rescues! There is more than meets the eye with these beautiful landmarks. Please register at the link above 👆 or in person at the Adult Reference Desk, or by phone at (248) 969-9490.

10/26/2024

Coming to a library near you!

Cryptids Decrypted with Andrew Kercher

This Tuesday, October 29, from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. at the Burtchville Twp. Library, you can learn a history of curious cases when mysterious creatures turned out to be all too real! Everyone knows famous Cryptids like Bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster, but many more mysterious creatures exist worldwide! From not-so-extinct fish to animals now common to zoos worldwide, hear the stories of animal demystification. If you described a kangaroo to someone who had never seen one before, would they believe you?

For more information and to register, please call (810) 385-8550 or click: https://stclaircountylibrary.org/events/List/Cryptids-Decrypted

10/23/2024

I'm excited to talk to Ferndale Seniors all about Lighthouses of Michigan this morning!