History Finds Its Way Home

Every so often, the Eastern Magazine inbox delivers a pleasant surprise.

Mary Winters of Quincy, Illinois recently sent this gem: a circa-1890s photo of the “Aurora Board.” This student organization produced the first annual yearbooks for Eastern Michigan University—then known as Michigan State Normal School.

Winters included this note:

“I’m working on a family website and came across this photo of the ‘Aurora Board’ at EMU. Even though none of my family members are pictured, somehow this image was in their belongings. Even more surprising, my granddaughter is a freshman at EMU this year. I couldn’t believe the coincidence!”

A full-circle moment more than a century in the making.