The Blessing of the Blossoms & the National Cherry Festival

Northwestern Michigan College

For a community to thrive and grow, there needs to be access to quality education.  It’s what makes parents happy to live in a particular area, knowing that the schools will give their kids what they need to succeed.  And, when those kids get old enough, it’s what will give them the opportunity to choose to stay close to home as they build their own lives. We spoke with Stephen Sicilano, Vice President for Educational Services at NMC, as well as the President of the Traverse Area Historical Society; Ross Biederman, current President of Midwestern Broadcasting; and Joe Anderson, NMC alum. Special thanks to C-SPAN for the use of their 1984 interview with NMC founder Les Biederman.

Les Biederman & Northern Michigan Broadcasting

In today’s world of our hyper-connected, always online existence…it’s hard to remember that getting up to the minute news and information about your community—or the world at large—was a lot more difficult.  And while the newspapers and other print publications could inform folks, too, there was nothing like the immediacy—and intimacy—of radio.  We’ll talk today Traverse City’s first radio station, WTCM, and the man who dreamed it into existence: Les Biederman. We spoke with Les Biederman’s son, Ross Biederman, current President of Midwestern Broadcasting Company, and longtime WTCM personality Steve Cook.

The Blessing of the Blossoms & the National Cherry Festival

The tourism industry of our region is an economic powerhouse, and one of the longest running—and most powerful—examples is all based around our signature crop:  the cherry.  Well, the cherry, and the celebration of it.  Today, we examine the National Cherry Festival, a now-ubiquitous summer celebration nearing its 100th milestone event.  But the origins of this now mammoth gathering are…a BIT more modest. We spoke with Kat Paye, the Executive Director of the National Cherry Festival.

Iconic Buildings of TC

Walking around Traverse City, you know them…but you don’t know the stories BEHIND them.  I’m talking about just a few of the many well-known buildings in the area. We spoke with Jack Lane, realtor and host of the long-running talk show “Ask the Real Estate Guy,” as well as a former history columnist for the Traverse City Record-Eagle; Diane Baribeau, Executive Director of City Opera House; and Chrissine Cairns, Marketing Director of Sleder’s Family Tavern.

Old Indian Trail - Cadillac to Traverse City

It is likely that you’ve come across one of these markers before — I’m referring to those concrete, oddly shaped structures with a number painted on them, and a small plaque underneath.  If you’ve gotten to closer and read this plaque, you would see the following “Old Indian Trail - Cadillac to Traverse City.”   What is the story behind these structures?  What is the story behind the trail they’re marking?  And what new project is looking to honor this work by continuing the tradition? We spoke with JoAnne Cook, an educator and historian, as well as a member, and a chief appellate judge, of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians; Emily Modrall, member of the board of directors of the Traverse Area Historical Society, and one of the spearheaders of a new project to add new structures to the existing Old Indian Trail - Cadillac to Traverse City; and filmmaker Rich Brauer, who helped with the installation of the original trail markers in the 1980's.