Houghton man named to Iron Industry Museum board

LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Rick Snyder today announced the appointment of Larry Lankton, of Houghton, to the Michigan Iron Industry Museum Advisory Board.

Housed within the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the nine-member board advises the department on policies, plans and programs concerning the Negaunee-based Michigan Iron Industry Museum. It also supports education programs and public use of the facility.

“Larry has done great work in sharing the history of our great state and nation,” said Snyder. “He is an outstanding choice for this board and I appreciate his willingness to serve.”

Lankton retired after years of service as a history professor at Michigan Technological University. He has also worked as a historian for the National Park Service’s Historic American Engineering Record and as a curator for The Henry Ford Museum’s Greenfield Village. Lankton is former chair of Michigan Technological University’s Department of Social Sciences and former president of the department’s Society for Industrial Archaeology. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history and English from DePauw University in Indiana and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in American civilization, both from the University of Pennsylvania. Lankton will represent the general public and fills a vacancy created by the resignation of Frida Waara.

Lankton will serve the remainder of a four-year term that expires Oct. 4, 2014, and his appointment is not subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.