Up in the U.P. - A Musical Tribute to the Upper Peninsula

Michigan based historian Bill Jamerson will perform a program of

songs and stories about Michigan's Upper Peninsula at the Northfield Senior Center on Wednesday

June 12  at 3 pm.  The program is presented by the Northfield

Public Library and co-sponsored by the Northfield Senior Center, and is free

and open to the public.

With guitar in hand, Jamerson

tells stories and performs original songs about iron miners, early immigrants,

ski jumpers, pasties, thimble berries and the Finnish people. Many of the

stories he tells are based on interviews with iron miners and other longtime

residents of the Upper Peninsula. The songs range from heart-warming ballads to

foot stomping jigs. Many of the nostalgic stories happened during The Great

Depression and appeal to older children and adults.

The Upper Peninsula was

originally acquired by the state of Michigan in 1837. At the time, many thought

it was uninhabitable and too remote to be of any value. However, the discovery

of iron ore in 1847 changed the course of history.  Within two decades,

iron mines were in operation across the Upper Peninsula in three distinct

ranges. The Upper Peninsula produced over half of America’s iron ore until the

Mesabi Range in Minnesota became the leading producer in 1904. Today, the Upper

Peninsula is home to two open pit iron mining operation with several new mines

slated to open in the coming years.

Due to its geographic

isolation, many ethnic traditions have been preserved in the U.P., from pasty

shops, public sauna’s and ski jumping. In

Jamerson’s program he performs original songs including The Flying Bietila’s which

is about six Finnish ski jumping brothers from Ishpeming. Born to be a Miner

tells the story a youth growing up in Negaunee during The Great Depression. Thimbleberry

Jam is about two brothers who visit their grandmother’s boarding house in

Republic. New Americans describes the different immigrant groups that

settled in the iron ranges and Miners Lunch tells how children brought

pasties to their fathers at the iron mines at lunchtime.

            The

songs and stories are as entertaining as they are important, as honest as they

are fun. They are about people both ordinary and extraordinary and include

stories of wit, charm, and strength. The Ontonagon Herald called Bill, “The

Upper Peninsula’s troubadour.” Jamerson also wrote a novel about the Civilian

Conservation Corps, produced eleven PBS films on Michigan history and has

recorded three CD’s of songs about Midwest history. For more information about

his performance, call the library at 645-1802 or visit his website at billjamerson.com.  Funding for the program is

provided with Legacy funds through a grant from SELCO.