A $1 million endowment has been announced for the Dowagiac Area History Museum.

Michigan Gateway Community Foundation President Michael Rowland tells us the Lyons Family, of Lyons Industries, has made a $100,000 a year for ten years pledge to establish the fund to help the museum pursue its mission into the future. Rowland says Dowagiac Mayor Don Lyons was looking for ways to support the community in a big way.

“Don, in particular, was really excited about the opportunity of trying to figure out a way to make this what we call a forever organization, an organization that has an endowment behind it that is providing everlasting dollars for their operating,” Rowland said.

The Dowagiac Area History Museum in downtown Dowagiac boasts of free admission and is dedicated to preserving the history of Dowagiac, Cass County, and Sister Lakes.

Rowland says the Michigan Gateway Community Foundation will administer the Lyons Family endowment, collecting interest and providing the museum with operating funds in perpetuity.

“What’s really great about it, it tells a story that long after we’re gone, this museum is still going to be funded by community commitment, not public obligation. This isn’t something that the taxpayers are going to be on the hook for in the future. This is something that is going to live independently of that.”

The foundation this week also announced an $8,000 grant to the museum for it to develop a strategic plan now that it’s being supported with the endowment.

The announcement was made at a Wednesday celebration.