Ben Garbacz/Daily Minng Gazette From left, Paula McElroy, Barry Polzin, Jay Wakefield and Brigitte Lapointe-Dunham attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Baraga County Historical Museum's expansion. The museum will quadruple in size and have galleries featuring the history of ancient copper, the KBIC and Baraga County from pre-European contact to the present.

BARAGA — With a groundbreaking Wednesday, the Baraga County Historical Museum on US 41 in Baraga, has taken a step towards an expansion that will quadruple its current size. The expansion will include the Fred Rydholm ancient copper gallery, galleries for the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) and galleries telling the history of Baraga county to the present day. More than galleries will be added to the museum, with a research library and a two bedroom apartment included in the design. The apartment will be for visiting researchers or a director or intern to stay and keep museum operations open longer.

“Our goal is to be able to tell a complete story of the history of Baraga County, from pre history to the modern day,” Baraga County Historical Society President Paula McElroy said. “This project wouldn’t happen without the contributions from Jay Wakefield. He’s the sole donor for the cost of renovations, and there’s no way this community or the society could have raised $2 million and that’s what this is going to cost.”

Wakefield said he wanted to contribute to the museum after meeting the Baraga Historical society board in order to honor his mentor historian and three-term mayor of Marquette Fred Rydholm and ancient copper history.

“I’m honored to be able to work with the Historical Society here, as it turns out, they’re very impressive,” he said. “They’ve got some very experienced people, so I think that bodes well for the future this institution.”

Wakefield also hopes Rydholm will be properly honored with a gallery named after him. “What’s helped is he put out a philosophy of we’re going to invite everybody to come talk, and they can put out all kinds of stuff and put it all on the table and then we’ll see what fits together. If some of it is nonsense, then we won’t have those in the story, but maybe somebody contributes something that makes the story bigger, and that’s the way it’s worked for a long time,” Wakefield said.

The groundbreaking ceremony involved Summer Cloud Drum Circle and dancers from the KBIC. McElroy, Wakefield and KBIC CEO Brigitte Lapointe-Dunham participated in the ground breaking with the building’s architect Barry Polzin standing beside them.

“This collaboration provides an opportunity to help write the history of our area and share the rich Anishinaabe culture that continues to shape this region,” Lapointe-Dunham said. “We look forward to contributing to a space that educates visitors and reflects the true story of the land and its people. When you see the drummers and the dancers today, remember that these are our neighbors, our relatives, the regional people who continue to inhabit and care for this region. Respect for our culture should not only be seen but also felt and included in the story of this community.”

After the ceremony Lapointe-Dunham said though the museum might be a small space, the KBIC has a big story to tell, and they want people who visit to understand the right and real story of the area. She added the collaborations with the museum shows partnership and unity, something the world needs right now.

Polzin explained the design for the museum expansion will be more attractive and eye catching at the side of the road which includes a copper wedge.

“We’re trying to make it a place where people will have to stop, and just get the story out,” Polzin said. “Because people mostly just drive through Baraga right now and this whole ancient copper story is really a story untold.”

The expansion is expected to be completed and open to visitors sometime next summer according to McElroy.