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Mackinaw City, Mich. — Mackinac State Historic Parks (MSHP) has recently been awarded the Quest for Excellence Institutional Achievement Award by the Michigan Museums Association (MMA) for its revitalization of Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park.

This prestigious honor, awarded through juried competition, is given to institutions for projects which make exemplary contributions to the museum field beyond fulfillment of routine functions.

The Quest for Excellence program recognizes exceptional programs, graphic projects and professional activities, and strives to inspire excellence in others. Many aspects of an institutional activity or project are considered, including benefits to the public; enhancement of professionalism of the organization and improvements in its ability to serve the public; and the institution’s accomplishments relative to its resources. According to MMA, projects are evaluated on the basis of relevancy, significance to the organization’s mission, visual quality, and unique or innovative character.

The award was accepted by MSHP Chief Curator Steven Brisson, who chaired the Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park team, on September 25 at a special awards ceremony during MMA’s annual conference, held this year in Traverse City, Mich.

“We are very pleased to receive this award which recognizes and honors excellence in the Michigan museum community,” said Brisson.

The revitalization of Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park included a comprehensive strategic plan that saw the addition in 2008 of many new features, including the Adventure Tour. This three-stage nature tour takes visitors high in the treetops on the 165-foot long, 50-feet high Forest Canopy Bridge, sponsored by Mackinac Associates, where a park naturalist points out life in the forest canopy. Visitor’s then enjoy a park-naturalist guided tour down a short path through the lush forest as they walk to the Eagle’s Flight Zip Line. Here they soar down the 425-foot zip line over Mill Creek as they look for trout replicas planted in the creek below. From there, adventurers partake in Michigan’s only vertical nature trail, the 40-foot high Nature Trail Climbing Wall. As they ascend this nature trail, fitted safely in harnesses with an auto-belay system, they push buttons to hear the calls of birds.

The Nature Trail Climbing Wall is mounted on the side of the new Treetop Discovery Tower. By climbing up the stairs of this 50-foot tower, visitors will view the northern Michigan terrain from an Eagle’s eye-view. The tower offers a spectacular view of not only the wooded park, but the Straits of Mackinac, Mackinac Island, and the Mackinac Bridge.

The younger adventurers will enjoy the new Forest Friends Play Area where children 10 and under can play on the large climbable fiberglass animals, including a bear, beaver and frog. Bronze animal track castings let children place their hands over animal footprints.

Since Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park’s opening in 1984, there have been many improvements to the park, including the reconstruction of the British Workshop and American

Millwright’s House, the creation of an audiovisual program, and the construction of a 3.5-mile nature trail system.

Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park is the site of northern Michigan’s first industrial complex. Its history dates back to 1790 when, due to the demand in sawn lumber on Mackinac Island, an entrepreneur obtained use of 640 acres along Mill Creek to build a sawmill. The property eventually contained the sawmill, a gristmill, many buildings, a large orchard and 40 acres of cultivated land. The sawmill ceased operation in 1839, and over the next century the land reverted to wilderness. Through the efforts of the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, an operating water-powered sawmill was reconstructed, and the site opened on June 15, 1984.

Mackinac State Historic Parks, a family of living history museums and parks in northern Michigan’s Straits of Mackinac, is an agency within the Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries. Its sites include Fort Mackinac, Mackinac Island State Park, and Historic Downtown on Mackinac Island, and Colonial Michilimackinac, Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse and Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park in Mackinaw City. Mackinac State Historic Parks is governed by the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, established in 1895 to protect, preserve and present the parks’ rich historic and natural resources for the education and recreation of future generations. Visitor information is available at 231-436-4100 or on the web at www.MackinacParks.com.