The Historical Society of Michigan and the Michigan Department
of History, Arts and Libraries are pleased to announce that an agreement has
been signed to transfer Michigan History magazine from the Department to the
Society effective October 1.

            Michigan History is among those state history magazines with the
highest circulation in the United States.   It was first published in 1917
as a journal and evolved into its current magazine format in 1978.  Recent
state budget cuts and the elimination of the Department of History, Arts and
Libraries, also effective October 1, put the continuation of Michigan
History magazine at risk.

The Historical Society of Michigan is the state's oldest cultural
organization, founded in 1828 by territorial governor Lewis Cass and
explorer and surveyor Henry Schoolcraft.  It is a non-governmental
non-profit that focuses on education, publications, conferences, award and
recognition programs and support for local historical organizations.

President Kendall Wingrove commented that "Michigan History magazine remains
one of the most respected publications of its kind.  For decades, the
magazine has set the standard. It is vital that this high level of quality
be maintained in the years ahead as we continue to share memorable stories
about our state's heritage."

The Society is dedicated to preserve, protect, interpret and celebrate the
rich and diverse history of our state.  Michigan History magazine fits
squarely into the Society's key mission areas.  It also publishes the
Chronicle, a forty page magazine for members and cooperates with Central
Michigan University in producing and distributing the scholarly Michigan
Historical Review.

Governor Jennifer Granholm's Executive Order 2009-36 directed that future
management and publication of Michigan History magazine be transferred from
the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries (HAL) to a non-profit
agency.  The Society was selected to take it over. "We're very proud of
Michigan History magazine's award-winning tradition of bringing Michigan's
authentic and exciting story to it's readers" interim HAL director Mark
Hoffman said.  "I look forward to working with the Society on this
transition."

"We are very pleased that we could step up to the plate and ensure that this
outstanding magazine did not fall victim to the financial challenges facing
the State of Michigan," commented Larry Wagenaar, Executive Director of the
Society.  "HSM published the magazine's predecessor, the annual Michigan
Pioneer and Historical Collections, and was involved in the process of
producing Michigan History with the Michigan Historical Commission until
1948 when the Commission and the Society formally disengaged from one
another.  We are honored to be in a position to take the magazine forward
and reengage a historic relationship after a sixty year absence."

Staff of the Department and Society are fully engaged in a process to
transfer all of the magazine's functions in a very short timeframe.  Due to
the transfer the first issue published by the Society, the November-December
2009 issue, is expected to arrive in subscriber homes approximately 3-4
weeks later than normal.  "We expect that by the third or fourth issue we
will be fully caught up and operating on the previous timetable," Wagenaar
said.

The new website for Michigan History magazine will be
www.michiganhistorymagazine.org and will become active on or about October
1.  The former site, www.michiganhistorymagazine.com, will automatically
forward to the new site.  The magazine's new address, phone numbers and
email contacts will be listed on the new site.  Michigan History magazine's
toll-free phone number is expected to remain the same.

For more information on the Historical Society of Michigan visit
www.hsmichigan.org <http://www.hsmichigan.org/>  .

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