Friends of the Jordan River Watershed (FJR) has received a $20,000 grant from the Charlevoix County Community Foundation to update the Jordan River flatboat exhibit and pavilion on its grounds. The exhibit, originally dedicated in 2010, features an authentic flatboat used by Dr. David Pray on the Jordan River and has become a key historical and educational attraction.
Dr. Pray was president of the forerunner to the FJR, the Jordan River Watershed Commission, in the late 1960s, leading to the Jordan River becoming Michigan’s first designated wild and scenic river under the state’s 1972 Natural Rivers Act.
The updates aim to preserve and enhance the exhibit. The project will include repairs to the exhibit space, addressing a roof leak, replacing glass panels with tempered, anti-glare glass, and implementing durable, year-round display elements. Digitization of historical photographs has already begun to protect materials from seasonal damage.
Enhancing this exhibit provides an opportunity to share the rich history of the Jordan River, flatboats, and trout fishing culture, further amplified by the new Don and Eileen Klein Nature Trail that connects visitors to this living piece of local heritage.
FJR has enlisted Keeney Swearer of Intentional Design Studio to lead the redesign, ensuring the exhibit’s resilience and historical accuracy. The majority of the funds will cover design, lighting, and exhibit construction, with additional funding allocated for research and narrative development.