By David Hutchinson
The summer heat has been replaced with cool autumn breezes, and this Saturday marks the last weekend of September. It is the last day of the year to tour the Clare County Historical Society’s museum and historic buildings. Each year the society ends its season with a merry gathering of folks who remember the ‘good old days.’
This year the celebration is on September 26 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with free admission (donations welcome). The weather is expected to be sunny with moderate daytime temperatures and a cool night.
The location is at 7050 S. Eberhart Ave., Clare—five miles north and one mile east of town. The Historical Complex includes a museum, two historic family log cabins, a working blacksmith shop, and a pavilion where refreshments are served during festivities.
Of special significance, and original to the site, is the Dover one-room schoolhouse which is 150 years old this year.
To celebrate the nation’s 250th and the school’s 150th anniversaries, the CCHS held a local history contest this summer. The winners will be announced and awarded prizes during the afternoon of Old Fashion Day. Winning entries will be on display so visitors can learn some new history.
Visitors can also enjoy wagon rides, admire vintage tractors and cars, eat lunch in the pavilion, speak with historians, and learn about local history with various artifacts. Commemorative pins and history books will be available. Live music will be provided by the Sunshine String Band. Dressing up in old-timey costume is welcome but not required.
Local historian Angela Kellogg-Henry will give a history presentation at 1 p.m. Her subject will be Michigan’s lumber era of the late nineteenth century. Attendees will learn about the industry that brought settlers and made fortunes in mid-Michigan.
Another attraction is the blacksmith shop. This Saturday, visitors can watch local smiths practice age-old skills of creation. What gets made could be a handy tool, a work of art, or a little of both.
The Clare County Museum holds an extensive collection of artifacts relating to local history. “Exhibit subjects include Michigan surveying, the ‘shadow town’ of Meredith, Spikehorn Meyer, old kitchen & household products, old logging & farming tools, inventions & manufacturing, a legal office, Dr. Kuno Hammerburg’s medical office, WKKM radio station, and military uniforms,” according to the society website (clarecountyhistory.org).
To explore the past from the comfort of one’s home, there are many books about local history available. A few examples are “Clare County Schoolhouses” by Coulson, “Farwell” by Kellogg & Loomis, “Gangsters Up North” by Knapp, “Michigan’s Timber Battleground” by Meek, “Clare County Almost Murders” by Ringelberg, “Spikehorn” by Sellers, “War Comes Home” by Wallace, and “Funn Stuff” by Haade.
Some books can be purchased in-person at the museum. Others can be ordered on Amazon.com (listed on the CCHS website) or checked out from local libraries.
More history information and resources are available on the society website. It has old photos, a timeline of local history, historical figures, history articles, and links to other useful websites.
