Collection: Pathways and Clearings Manuscript Collection

Scope and Contents

The materials contained within the Pathways and Clearings Collection consist of the compiled research for the book. Contained within these materials is all of the correspondence between the writer and the various partners on the project. The materials also include all of the photos of the research, which eventually would become the illustrations within the book Pathways and Clearings. There are also several rough drafts of the work and the final draft before it went to publication.

Dates

1979 - 1981

Biographical / Historical

The book Pathways and Clearings was published in 1981. The Pathways and Clearings project was a partnership between the Grand Rapids Public Museum, East Rotary Club and the Grand Rapids Public Library. The author of the work was Mary Ashman, a history student at Western Michigan University who was hired by the Public Museum to research life in early Kent County. This research was used to help build the Grand Rapids Public Museum's exhibit "People of the Grand". The book is the result of Ms. Ashman's research.