Michigan memories revived: 1930s, 40s digitized films show rare glimpse of Traverse City

NORTHERNMICHIGAN,(WPBN/WGTU)—ACharlevoixCountywomanhasapieceofhistory,andshe’ssearchingforthefamilyitbelongsto. JennyHaltemanwon30filmreelsfromthe1930sand1940soneBay. WhatHaltemandidn’tknow,isthereelswerescenesofnorthernMichigan. HowItStarted Haltemansaidshe’sbeenworkingondigitizingvideotapesthatbelongedtoherparents. “Istartedtalkingtoafriendatworkandhewaslike,‘Oh,I’vegotsomethingforyou,'”explainedHalteman.“Andheendedupgivingmean8-millimeterprojector.AndIwaslike,whatamIgoingtodowiththis?” Itturnedouttheprojectorwasingreatcondition,andHaltemansaidshefellinlovewithrunningoldfilmreelsthroughit.Whichiswhatledhertostartbiddingonnearly100-year-oldfilmreelsbeingsoldoneBay. WhatIdidn’texpectwastofindsomethingthatwasfromTraverseCity.ThesellerofthefilmreelssaidhegotthemfromanestatesaleinSt.Petersburg,Florida,andthatwritingonsomeofthereelsnoteditwasf