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Under Renovation

Economic Development Resources on Calumet.

Boom, Bust and Beyond: Arts and Sustainability in Calumet, Michigan
Sustainability 2016
Published: 21 March 2016
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Calumet Prospectus
Keweenaw Economic Alliance
​(KEDA) Sept 9, 2016

Copper Country Survey
Final Report and Historic Preservation Plan
Keweenaw National Historical Park Advisory Commission
August 2013

Calumet Village Historic District Inventory
Interactive Map

Community Heart & Soul 
Field Guide 2nd Edition
Orton Family Foundation 2015

News Articles
Calumet, Michigan Sees Urban Revitalization

Village of Calumet Master Plan Proposed December 2017

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Welcome to the Keweenaw Storytelling Center!  The Center enables us to fulfill our mission of helping people share their stories through the literary, visual, performing and media arts. Through partnerships with Main Street Calumet, the Keweenaw National Historical Park and other nonprofit organizations, We're helping to share stories from the community and from around the world. 

The 7,600 square foot facility currently offers:
  • 100 seat performance space
  • 1,500 square foot visual exhibit space 
  • puppet theatre
  • merchandise area.

We plan to renovate the center to include ADA compliant public restrooms on the main floor, an enclosed theatre/planetarium and install an  old-fashioned soda fountain to serve as a family-friendly gathering place which will also help us raise funds to support our mission.

Renovations would further allow us to create meaningful educational programs and partnerships that benefit the community, with programs and initiatives that include:
  • Children’s matinées featuring live performances, puppetry, music, planetarium programs (stories in the sky), storytelling hours, and family films
  • In-school and in-venue partnerships with regional school districts designed around curriculum-based arts and humanities education experiences
  • Thoughtful lectures, discussion panels and educational opportunities for all ages
  • Internships and mentoring opportunities for high school and college students.
  • Collaborations with cultural organizations and parks.
  • A cultural destination and an architectural landmark (The building has been cited as a contributing building within the historic district of the Keweenaw National Historical Park.

PROVIDING YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS CELEBRATING THE ART OF STORYTELLING
  • Cultural performances
  • Documentaries and feature film showings.
  • Storytelling, poetry and writing gatherings 
  • Historical presentations.​

History

 In 2017, Real People Media began exploring the feasibility of opening a storytelling center in historic Calumet.  We determined that the vacant Woolworth's building (then owned by Family Dollar) would fulfill our needs.  At the end of 2018, we asked Family Dollar to donate the building to us.   In February they stated that they would donate the building to us, but tragically a 1/4 of the roof collapsed the following month.  (There was a near record snow fall of 350 inches of snow that year and Family Dollar had not shoveled the roof).  Real People Media convinced Family Dollar to continue with the donation and donate the needed funds to repair the roof.  Real People Media obtained the deed to the building on July 19, 2019.

Slide Show of the Woolworth's Building from March 2019 -July 2020 (in progress)

Distances from Calumet to Major U.S. Cities

12 miles To Houghton/Hancock, MI (15 minutes) (pop 15,000)
113 miles  to Marquette, MI (2 hours) (pop 20,500)
173 miles (to Escanaba, MI 3 h 17 min) (pop 12,300)
222 miles to Green Bay, MI  (4 h 4 min) (pop 105,104)
230 miles to Duluth, MN (4 h 30 min)  (pop 86,300)
250 miles to Appleton, WI (4 h 33 min) (pop 74,400)
340 miles to Madison, WI (5 h 51 min) (pop 252,500)
340 miles to Milwaukee, WI (5 h 45 min) (pop 595,000)
383 miles to Minneapolis, MN (6 h 30 min) (pop 413,500)
430 miles to Chicago, IL (7 h 10 min) (pop 2.7 million)
508 miles to Lansing, MI (8 h 10 min) Capital of Michigan.
​570 miles to Detroit, MI ( 9 hours)