Kent Kraft/For the Gazette Visitors at the Keweenaw National Historical Park Calumet Visitor Center create holiday themed crafts on Saturday.

CALUMET – Those who braved the wind-chilling weather on Saturday to visit the Calumet Visitor Center at Keweenaw National Historical Park (KNHP) were able to look at the holiday season through the lens of history. In conjunction with their Calumet Sesquicentennial exhibit, rangers at KNHP created hands-on activities for visitors of all ages looking at holiday traditions from Calumet’s past.

Shellwork, a decorative item created with seashells, were all the rage in the late 1800s and sometimes created as Christmas decorations. In addition to tapping into artistic sentiments, shellwork also helped build an appreciation for natural objects. Instead of seashells, visitors could emulate the tradition with circular tree cuttings, painting their own ornament to take with them as a decoration..

One could also “learn the mysteries of the calling card” in another offered activity. After decoratively writing out your name on the provided cards, you could send a message to someone simply by altering the card in specific ways. For instance, folding the lower right corner told someone that you would be out of town.

A historic photograph stood prominently in one corner, showing a child in front of a Christmas tree in 1905. The decorations were very different than today, and visitors were encouraged to analyze the photo to see what similarities and differences they could find compared to today’s trends.

Cutout dolls, popular in the 1920s, were also on offer. Visitors could choose which dolls they liked, grab a pair of scissors, and cut out the doll along with a variety of included clothing options. Small tabs on the clothing allow you to put the various clothing pieces on the doll, and interchange them at will.

The 1970s saw a rise in popularity for beaded snowflake ornaments, and this was the final offering, and decade, on offer in the hands-on space. With a variety of beads and connectors, visitors could craft their own snowflake to take home as a new ornament for their own tree.

Christmas music was wafting through the rooms of the visitor center which not only set up a pleasant ambiance, but was yet another activity for visitors to interact with. Notecards with song titles were spread out on a table, and one could test their Christmas song knowledge by putting them in chronological order of when they were written. With answers on the reverse, you could immediately see how well you knew your Christmas carol chronology.

Several park rangers were on hand from the moment one entered the visitor center. After welcoming you, they would orient you to the building and where the holiday crafts were located, as well as what else you would find on the three floors of exhibits. Members of the Friends of Fashion group out of Chassell also interacted with the public. Participating as “living windows,” they were dressed in period clothing, sitting in the exterior display windows of the visitor center, and waving at the public walking by. They also chatted with visitors as they wandered throughout the building.

All of this was provided free of charge and seemed to be a hit with the public. A mixed crowd of all ages roamed throughout the visitor center, working on crafts and taking in exhibits.

A family of five from Calumet entered the visitor center, the three children wide-eyed and taking the surroundings in. When asked what brought them to the visitor center, they said, “We heard there were crafts in here today. Looking around for holiday activities for the kids, we thought this would be a fun afternoon.” After perusing the activities, the kids chose what they wanted to make and got to work. The parents weren’t far behind in starting their own crafts.

KNHP’s Calumet Visitor Center is now closed for the holidays and will reopen with winter hours, Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., starting Jan. 10. They encourage the community to keep an eye on their website, nps.gov/kewe, and social media to learn about upcoming special events and programs.