Mason County residents and visitors alike can now explore the county’s history year-round, with the opening this month of a new 10,000-square-foot research and welcome center in downtown Ludington.

Previously housed at Historic White Pine Village, the Mason County Historical Society’s move to East Ludington Avenue has been a long-time coming. The society not only needed more space but also a controlled temperature system to help preserve stored artifacts.

The Mason County Research Center also will serve as a welcome center, helping guide visitors to Ludington’s historic sites, which not only include Historic White Pine Village but also the nearby Port of Ludington Maritime Museum. The center also includes the Emporium and Sweet Shop, which boasts an old-fashioned candy counter, gifts, and apparel.

What will the new center accomplish: Executive Director Rebecca Berringer hopes the move from White Pine Village to downtown East Ludington Avenue will allow the center to better connect with the community year round.  “We want to be more accessible,” she says “Moving to this location allows us to connect better with the community as well as share our resources. We want to connect with those coming to the community — some that come every year, some coming for the first time. We provide a cultural asset for visitors.” 

At the center, visitors explore displays and artifacts (the center boasts more than 100,000 items), conduct research and purchase tickets to Historic…