By Sue Moore
“Fascinating Women” is the topic of Lynn Houghton’s talk at the Vicksburg Historical Society’s July 18 speaker series at 7 p.m. in the Community Center on S. Main Street. The public is invited to attend.
Houghton is well-known for her historic buildings walk through the village of Vicksburg in past years. This time she will stand still at a podium and present a program that will look at several of the women who helped to shape Kalamazoo County enterprises. “Over the years we have learned much about women in our area,” she said. “A few, like Lucinda Hinsdale Stone and Caroline Bartlett Crane, have received accolades and publications. There are many who have not reached that level of notoriety but contributed to the community in many different ways.”
“This program will look at several of these women from many different areas but who all had a common goal and that was to make their community a better place to live,” Houghton commented.
She could be considered one of those special women who have made a difference, said Ted Vliek, former president of the Historical Society. “Her talk and walks around the village have informed us about the architecture and the significance of the beautiful homes and businesses that formed the core of this community.”
As regional history curator at the Western Michigan University Archives and regional history collections, she has a wellspring of knowledge about this area. She also teaches Michigan history at WMU and leads free historic walks around Kalamazoo, co-sponsored by Gazelle Sports and the WMU Archives. She co-authored the book Kalamazoo Lost and Found. She has bachelors and masters degrees jn history from Western and a masters in library science from Wayne State University.