New Panel On Mural Honors Early Native American Families

A tribute to Battle Creek’s early Native American families was unveiled Saturday at the Battle Creek Regional History Museum at 307 West Jackson Street.  They revealed the artist’s addition to the mural on the west side of their building.

The mural,  an ‘Industrial Heritage of Battle Creek”, was created in 2008 by artist Conrad Kaufman to decorate the Fredrick R. Brydges port of Entry in the Fort Custer Industrial Park.   But when Battle Creek Unlimited (BCU) remodeled the building for their new office, they donated the mural to the Battle Creek Regional History Museum.

The museum also received the stained-glass window of the former City of Battle Creek seal.  That window was removed after objections were voiced that it was offensive to Native Americans.   That led to discussions about how it could be displayed at the museum, and those discussions with the artist and the local tribe led to the new panel being added to the existing mural.

At Saturday’s unveiling, some tribal members performed a tribal song and Tribal Council Chairperson Jamie Stuck spoke.