Brian Leigh Dunnigan

Brian Leigh Dunnigan served as curator of maps at the University of Michigan’s William L. Clements Library. Trained as a historian, he administered historic sites in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Old Fort Niagara, New York. He wrote extensively on the early history of the Great Lakes region, particularly Mackinac and Niagara, and developed a particular interest in the pre-photographic imagery—maps, sketches, and prints—depicting the area. His 2001 book, Frontier Metropolis (Wayne State University Press), presented a complete iconography of Detroit from 1701 to 1838.

Dunnigan died on April 10, 2025 in Spring Arbor, Michigan from complications of advanced Parkinson’s Disease.