Marquette Regional History Center
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Legacy Gifts to Last a Lifetime
Our cultural heritage is as important to the human spirit as air and water are to the human body.  Won't you help to create a secure future for our shared past?

Nestled in the social center of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP), the Marquette County Historical Society, was founded in 1918 to give voice to the unique cultural and physical history of the region.

Now known as the Marquette Regional History Center, for just over a century, the Center has served as a forum for engaging the community and creating links between people. Whether it is researching local history, viewing quality exhibits, attending historical programming, encouraging historic preservation and interpretation through awards and historical marker programs or working with teachers to expand inclusion of local history into core curriculum, the humanities are fundamental to this organization. Education has been the foremost goal, focusing on collections, exhibitions and interactive tools to learn about history and culture.

You Choose Where You Want to Give

Pay Off the Mortgage
To the more than 500 donors who helped to build the History Center, we thank you every day. However, there still is more to be done.  Retiring the mortgage debt is essential for a bright future. Your gift to the mortgage fund will be used to help eliminate the mortgage debt.

Endowment Fund
The History Center has an investment account which generates interest each year to provide revenue for a portion of operational expenses. Donations to the endowment will provide long term financial stability for the preservation and interpretation of cultural artifacts, as well as educational programming. Your gift to the endowment fund will be placed in the fund to continue to provide this important cash flow for the Center.

Legacy Fund
The History Center has created a new Legacy Fund to secure a future for the organization. This fund will be the building block for the next 100 years.

Make a Contribution today!

We hope you’ll join more than 500 other businesses, individuals and foundations that have made a pledge of support the History Center. On-line gifts are securely processed via PayPal using any major credit card. A PayPal account is not required.
Gifts of $1,000 or more are recognized permanently on the donor wall located inside the exhibit gallery.

$1,000 Gift
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1,000.00    
$500 Gift
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500.00    
$50 Gift
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$100 Gift
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    Yes! I would like to help.  Please contact me at the email address below.

Submit

Ways to Give
Outright gifts may be pledged over time to suit your financial situation.  In addition to an outright gift, remember us when you are planning your estate.  Gifts to any of the funds can make an important difference.  A bequest is easy to make with the help of your financial advisor. It can be made in several ways...
  • Gift of a percentage of your estate
  • Gift of a specific asset
  • Gift of the remainder of your estate 
  • IRA retirement asset when given to a charity permits the full value of your gift to be tax-free upon your death and your estate receives a charitable deduction. Contact your retirement account representative to obtain a form.
  • Insurance policy - when given to a charity avoids estate tax and your estate receives a charitable deduction. Contact your insurance company to obtain a form.  
Thank you for considering a charitable gift to the History Center. Without thoughtful people like you, who also gave in this way, we would not be the organization you have come to love. This kind of support is extremely important. We urge you to speak to your family and tax planning professional when making this important decision.

What is a charitable bequest?

A charitable bequest is a simple planned giving instrument that allows you to leave a designated property, stock, percentage of estate, or specific sum of money to a non-profit when you die. Bequests are normally written to be revocable, meaning they can be changed any time before death.
Why leave a bequest to a charity?
A bequest is a way to ensure your estate is distributed exactly how you choose and your legacy is honored in a manner that reflects what you loved in life. It defines precisely what property, stock, percentage of estate, or cash holdings go to the benefited charity. As well as potentially saving on estate tax, a charitable bequest may ease income tax burdens for your surviving family.
Are you age 70.5 or older?
Are you 70.5 or older? Do you have an IRA? If so, you may be required to withdraw a prescribed amount from your IRA each year. This amount is then subject to income tax. However, you can help the Marquette Regional History Center and avoid this income tax. If you donate the amount you have to withdraw from your IRA directly to a 501c3 non-profit like the MRHC, it is not taxed.
IRA Charitable Rollover
According to IRS regulations, people aged 70.5 or older must withdraw a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) annually from most common retirement plans. This arrangement includes 401(k) plans and traditional IRAs. The amount withdrawn from the retirment plan is then subject to income tax.

One way to avoid tax on RMD withdrawals is to transfer funds directly to a licensed charity using Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD), also known as an IRA charitable rollover. Up to $100,000 per year can be transferred from a retirement plan to a QCD without being subject to income tax.

In the past, QCD rules required Congressional re-authorization each year. However, the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) act of 2015 made QCD rules permanent, making this strategy a more reliable financial management tool.

Talk to your tax planning professional about how you can avoid paying income tax on your mandatory RMD withdrawal by giving to the Marquette Regional History Center. We invite you to talk to us to learn how your charitable giving to the History Center will benefit the future of the organization.


Recognition of Previous Support

MRHC Capital Campaign Receives Pledge

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UP Home Health Hospice and Private Duty is contributing to the Marquette Regional History Center's capital campaign with a $6,000 pledge of support. Pictured, from left, Sarah Janda, former capital campaign manager for the MRHC; Jeff Nyquist, executive director/CEO of UP Home
Health Hospice; and Lindsay Hemmila, director of community services for UP Home Health Hospice.

Join this company and contribute to the MRHC capital campaign today! Contact Cris Osier at 906.226.3571 or [email protected].

Shiras Institute Supports the History Center Capital Campaign

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The Shiras Institute is contributing to the Marquette Regional History Center's capital campaign with a $87,500 pledge. Pictured, from left, Ward Rantala, Sarah Janda (former MRHC employee), Dennis Girard, Kaye Hiebel, Jim Reevs, Cheryl Hill and Laura Riley. Thank you, Shiras Institute, for your amazing support.

Join this foundation and contribute to the MRHC capital campaign today! Contact Cris Osier at 906.226.3571 or [email protected]

Construction Progress Photos

A few images showing the new building and the construction project.
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, sex, familial status, sexual orientation, and reprisal. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write to:
    USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
    1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410
    Or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Capital Campaign Supporters

We are in the process of adding all of the great organizations who have donated to our capital campaign. Check back for more updates!

$600,000 Challenge Grant Awarded

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The Marquette Regional History Center received a $600,000 Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2008. It was one of the largest grants given that year. The NEH will donate $1 for every $3 raised in the capital campaign.

Marquette Regional History Center | 145 W. Spring St. Marquette, MI 49855 | (906) 226-3571 | ©2020                                     Contact Us!