Where's the Boat? Outdoor Jordan River flatboat Exhibit Upgrades
Friends of the Jordan River Watershed Secures $20,000 Grant for Pavilion Riverboat Exhibit Upgrades
The Charlevoix County Community Foundation recently awarded the FJR a grant of $20,000 towards the $25,000 project. The FJR is asking for your help to take it the rest of the way. Your contribution, no matter how small or how large, will make this exhibit a stunning reality for all to share. With your help FJR will look to spring to debut the new exhibit!
Where Did the Boat Come From?
The boat was donated by Dr. David Pray, an East Jordan dentist for 40 years, and also an avid trout fisherman and guide, who put himself through school at Michigan State College and the University of Michigan Dental School guiding in the summers for famed local guide Teddy Kotowich.
Dr. Pray also became president of the Jordan River Watershed Commission (JRWC) in the 1960s, a forerunner to the Friends of the Jordan River Watershed (FJR), and led the effort for the Jordan River to become Michigan’s first designated “wild and scenic” river under Michigan’s Natural Rivers Act of 1972.
An original Jordan River Flatboat that has inhabited this space for 15 years was moved recently into storage for winter, while the exhibit is being renovated. 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.
The renovated space will include a history of the Jordan River Watershed and fishing on the Jordan, complete with map, photographs, text, and an audio system to tell some of the Jordan’s stories.
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.
