Our topic for the May meeting will be Ethnic History of Monroe presented by Chris Kull.
Chris is a lifelong resident of the City of Monroe. She is married to Paul Merman and has 2 grown children, Katie and Isaac. Katie is a special education teacher in Indiana and Isaac is a long-haul trucker for a FedEx contractor. They also have 2 granddaughters, Isabella and Paige, who live in Indiana.
Chris’ interest in history was sparked in high school thanks to Donald Burkett, her social studies teacher. He made history more than names and dates. She began volunteering at the Monroe County Historical Museum while attending Monroe High School in the 1970’s. In the summer of 1976, she worked for the local United States bicentennial committee. In 1977, she was involved with an archaeological dig along the St. Mary’s River in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan at the original site of Fort Brady. This was while she was a student at Lake Superior State College, where she received her bachelor’s degree. In 1979, she conducted a preliminary inventory of archival material for the State of Colorado as part of her graduate studies at Colorado State University where she majored in historic preservation. A practicum with the City of Monroe involved working on a City of Monroe architectural survey.
From 1982-2011 she was archivist and 2011-2016 she was curator of collections at the Monroe County Historical Museum. In 2011, she was on the committee to erect the Monroe County Civil War Fallen Soldiers Memorial; 2011-2013 she was on the committee for the bicentennial recognition of the 1813 Battles of the River Raisin; 2012 she was on the SOS Committee which worked for the passage of a millage to support the Monroe County Historical Museum. From 2015-2017 she worked for the River Raisin National Battlefield Park Foundation as operations manager, and in 2016-2017 she was chairperson of the Monroe County Bicentennial Alliance. Chris retired in 2017 and have been enjoying herself ever since.
Chris is a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, the Monroe County Historical Society, Exeter Historical Society, City of Monroe Historic District Commission, DAR, Daughters of the War of 1812, Genealogical Society of Monroe County, Friends of Potter Cemetery, Friends in Council, and Monroe Family YMCA.
She enjoys playing tennis, swimming, golfing and traveling.
Chris’ interest in history was sparked in high school thanks to Donald Burkett, her social studies teacher. He made history more than names and dates. She began volunteering at the Monroe County Historical Museum while attending Monroe High School in the 1970’s. In the summer of 1976, she worked for the local United States bicentennial committee. In 1977, she was involved with an archaeological dig along the St. Mary’s River in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan at the original site of Fort Brady. This was while she was a student at Lake Superior State College, where she received her bachelor’s degree. In 1979, she conducted a preliminary inventory of archival material for the State of Colorado as part of her graduate studies at Colorado State University where she majored in historic preservation. A practicum with the City of Monroe involved working on a City of Monroe architectural survey.
From 1982-2011 she was archivist and 2011-2016 she was curator of collections at the Monroe County Historical Museum. In 2011, she was on the committee to erect the Monroe County Civil War Fallen Soldiers Memorial; 2011-2013 she was on the committee for the bicentennial recognition of the 1813 Battles of the River Raisin; 2012 she was on the SOS Committee which worked for the passage of a millage to support the Monroe County Historical Museum. From 2015-2017 she worked for the River Raisin National Battlefield Park Foundation as operations manager, and in 2016-2017 she was chairperson of the Monroe County Bicentennial Alliance. Chris retired in 2017 and have been enjoying herself ever since.
Chris is a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, the Monroe County Historical Society, Exeter Historical Society, City of Monroe Historic District Commission, DAR, Daughters of the War of 1812, Genealogical Society of Monroe County, Friends of Potter Cemetery, Friends in Council, and Monroe Family YMCA.
She enjoys playing tennis, swimming, golfing and traveling.