If the expression “a picture is worth a 1,000 words,” is true, then the Dowagiac Area History Museum’s collection of more than 6,000 photos depicting the history of The Grand Old City have quite a lot to say.

Museum Director Steve Arseneau will share some of the highlights of this treasure-trove of Dowagiac history Saturday afternoon, as he kicks off the 2017 One Story program with his lecture “Photographs of Dowagiac.” The free event takes place at 1 p.m. at the museum, located downtown on 201 E. Railroad St.

Arseneau — the co-author of one of the One Story’s featured books, “Images of America: Dowagiac” — will be showing off around 100 of his favorite photographs from the museum’s collection during the event, from the oldest photos taken in Dowagiac in 1860 up to those taken during 1950s, the director said.

“Some of the photos are featured in the book, but there are quite a few ones that are not as well,” Arseneau said.

Instead simply presenting the pictures in chronological order, the director has divided them into several different themes, including Dowagiac business and industry, fun and leisure, and more, Arseneau said.

The lecture serves as the natural way to kick off this year’s One Story program.

Organized by members of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, the museum, the Dowagiac District Library, Southwestern Michigan College and the Dogwood Fine Arts Festival, the annual initiative focuses on a series of events loosely based on a particular book the community is encouraged to read. This year, the One Story committee selected two works, Arseneau’s book and Webb Miller’s “I Found No Peace.”

The theme of this year’s slate of activities will focus on “A Sense of Place,” said Kristie Bussler, educational resource specialist with the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi and lead organizer of the program. This theme includes not only topics related to Dowagiac and its history, but also on Potawatomi language and culture, connecting with nature and more.

“Where you live changes everything about you,” Bussler said. “It forms the way you think, what you eat, the words you use. It is more than just the place you have your house. Your home makes you who you are.”

Other major events lined up for this year’s One Story program include:

• “Shishibé: History of Gaming and Importance of Language,” which takes place from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 9, at Southwestern Michigan College. The Pokagon Band’s Jefferson Ballew and Rhonda Purcell will share the importance of gaming in Native American, and will lead participants in a game of Shishibé, a game using Potawatomi language.

• “Gwikwé ‘amen,” which takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 18, at the Pokagon Band Community Center. The tribe’s Pokagon Band Early Childhood Education Program and Department of Natural Resources will team up with area schools to share stories with local children. Artwork submitted by the community will also be on display.

• “World Wide Webb Miller,” which will take place 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 5, at the Dowagiac Area History Museum. Dowagiac resident and Webb Miller enthusiast Jim Bussler will talk about the famous reporter as part of the museum’s Spring Lecture Series.

• “’I Found No Peace’ Book Talk,” which will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, at Sacred Heart of Mary Catholic Church. People are invited to come and talk about Miller’s book and learn about how his reporting impacted the world.

• “Traditional Lifeways Workshop,” which will take place from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 13, at the Dowagiac District Library. Ballew and Justin Lake will guide visitors on a series of outdoor activities, aimed at sharing the importance of connecting with nature.

• “Epilogue Feast,” which will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at the Pokagon Band Community Center. The traditional Native American banquet closes out this year program. Speaking during the event will be Robin Wall Kimmerer, a botanist and author who will talk about the region’s wildlife and its importance to Native American culture.

Organizers are also encouraging people to submit 3D artwork for this year’s program, to share their own stories with the community. People can find details on how to submit their work on the One Story website, onestoryread.com.

People can pick up free copies of “Images of America: Dowagiac” and “I Found No Peace” at any of the participating One Story partner locations.