Media Contacts:

Holland Museum: Kate Leighton-Colburn; kate@hollandmuseum.org

Zeeland Historical Society: Katelyn VerMerris; director@zeelandhistory.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Holland, MI

August 2, 2025

Zeeland Historical Society and Holland Museum Receive America250MI Grant for Immigration & Identity Project

The Zeeland Historical Society and the Holland Museum are proud to announce that they have received a $25,000 grant through the America250MI program to support We the People, a joint exhibit and oral history project launching in 2026.

The project explores immigration, identity, and belonging in West Michigan through historical artifacts, interactive storytelling, and personal narratives- from early Dutch settlers and Indigenous peoples to more recent immigrant communities. A companion oral history initiative will preserve firsthand stories and make them accessible online.

Michelle Stempien, Executive Director of the Holland Museum, looks forward to the collaboration. "The Holland Museum and the Zeeland Historical Society are proud to collaborate on this meaningful project, celebrating the rich and diverse immigrant stories that shape our communities. Together, we aim to explore the broader narrative of what it means to be part of the vibrant cultural tapestry of Holland and Zeeland."

Adding to this, Katelyn Bosch VerMerris, Director of the Zeeland Historical Society, states, “This regional collaboration will not only honor our nation’s founding—it will bring it home. By preserving and sharing the real stories of our neighbors, we invite the community to reflect on the foundational question, ‘What does it mean to be an American?’ We’re thrilled to offer educational and programming experiences for the 250th anniversary and to ensure these stories are preserved for generations to come.”

The America250MI program received nearly 100 proposals totaling more than $2.2 million in funding requests during its 45-day application window, with applications submitted from all regions of the state.

We the People will be featured in a multi-site exhibit at both the Dekker Huis Museum and the Holland Museum, accompanied by educational programming and local school partnerships. The project supports both institutions’ missions and contributes to the broader reflection on what it means to be a Michigander- and an American.

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America250MI is Michigan’s statewide committee tasked with commemorating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, the American Revolution’s role in Michigan’s history and the impact that these, and various historical events, have had on the people of Michigan’s past, present and future.

The Holland Museum’s mission is Preserving Our Past, Imagining Our Future. The Holland Museum is located at the corner of 10th St. and River Ave. at 31 W 10th St. in Holland, MI.

The Zeeland Historical Society connects past and present through exhibits, programs, and preservation efforts that celebrate the rich heritage of Zeeland and its surrounding communities. Explore our work at the Dekker Huis Museum (37 E Main Ave) and New Groningen Schoolhouse (10537 Paw Paw Dr), or learn more at www.zeelandhistory.org