History and Archives

Thanks to Michelle McManman for digitizing many of the historical materials.

Map of Oak Savanna 2024 – records their size in 2024, 15 years after the 20 trees were planted, showing that 14 of the 20 are now over 6″ in diameter.

MLIVE Article November 6, 2024 – “High costs top reason students can’t be relocated during Thurston Elementary rebuild”

MLIVE Article October 9, 2024 – Parents, alumni pushback on plans for new Ann Arbor school encroaching on nature area

MLIVE Article, September 27, 2024 – Residents fear new Thurston Elementary School will harm 56-year-old nature center

Annual Report – Community Partners for Clean Streams Mini Grant (for Rain Garden) – as of December 2020

Outdoor Education article from Ann Arbor Observer, January 2021 (mentions history of Thurston Nature Center and goats) https://annarborobserver.com/outdoor-education/

Rain Garden article and photo in the A2H2O Quality Water Matters for January 2021 (on page 2)

Goats at Thurston Nature Center, September 2020

Grant Award of $1,200 for Rain Garden from Washtenaw County Water Resources Office -Email May 2020

Grant application for Remediation Rain Garden 2020

Earth Week 2019 Activities at Thurston Elementary School, June 2019

Life in Thurston Pond, measured by 3rd grade Thurston Elementary classes during Earth Week, April 2019

Thurston Nature Center Receives Washtenaw County Environmental Excellence Award, March, 2019

Thurston Pond Restoration, MLIVE article from April 2015

Thurston Nature Center Celebrates 50 Years, AAPS District News

Thurston Nature Center Installs New Features for Ann Arbor Public Schools, MLIVE article from 2014

Thurston Pond Ecosystem Restoration Plan from 2013, which helped lead to the restoration of the berm and the dredging of areas near the outlet to improve water retention and reduce overflow issues.

Movie “Flipped” Filmed at Thurston Nature Center (MLIVE article from 2009)

Oak Savanna

Aerials photographs of the Thurston Nature Center, from 2005 back to 1955, from https://historicaerials.com/viewer

Letter from Ann Arbor Mayor Ingrid Sheldon dated May 10, 1993 with her memories of growing up near the Thurston Nature Center.

Letter from former first lady Lady Bird Johnson to the TNCC Chairperson and Thurston Elementary Principal in 1992 on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Thurston Nature Center.

“A study on Thurston Pond” section briefly describing the history of the Thurston Nature Center from 1955 to 1976.

AAPS to DNR, May 20, 1970

School Board Hears Thurston Pond Hassle, May 14 1970

Tree Removals Deplored, Ann Arbor News, May 7, 1970

Report on Study of Nature Center in Preparation of Junior High School SIte, 1970

A Naturalist’s Journal: Things Look Up. Ann Arbor News, May 25, 1968. Mentions Bill Stapp giving a bird tour of the Nature Center, and “the thousands of hours of volunteer labor” to improve it.

Flyer from May 8, 1968 promoting the dedication ceremony by the Michigan Department of Conservation as a Conservation Education Reserve on May 18, 1968.

Defend Thurston Pond Plan (letter to the editor) – Nov 1967

Work to Curb Flooding, Sept. 1967

Thurston Nature Center Committee meeting September 1967

Board Hears Nature Area Sites Proposal, Feb 26, 1967

Planner Sees Progress on Building Projects, Feb 9, 1967

1967 video “We’re On our Way” about the early days of Thurston Nature Center. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG-Ht9p5kXw

Planner sees progress on building projects, Pond to stay at Thurston, Feb. 1967

Update 1967

“Thurstonites Have Reason To Be Proud” – 1967 article from the Ann Arbor News “A Naturalist’s Journal” column about the establishment of the Thurston Nature Center.

Group of Residents Oppose Plan, May 2, 1966

Thurston Pond Lengthly Debate on Proposed Nature Study Pond – Article May 6, 1966

Nature Center Bulletin, 1966

1956 aerial photo of the future Thurston Nature Center area, showing dark wetland soil indicators where the pond is now, as downloaded from https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/