By David Hutchinson
The Clare County Historical Society concluded its summer season on September 26, hosting its annual Old Fashion Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The event, held at the museum grounds located at 7050 S. Eberhart Ave., marked the final day the complex will be open to the public until next spring.
The four-hour event featured a display of vintage tractors and classic cars, along with a modern firetruck. Live music filled the air, performed by the Sunshine String Band. Occasional, unrelated helicopter flyovers passed overhead.
Under the pavilion, attendees were served an old-timey menu of bean soup, cornbread, apple cider, donuts, coffee, and water.
Visitors were also able to acquire commemorative pins. The items celebrated two historic milestones: the 150th anniversary of the Dover School and the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States.
At 1 p.m., Angela Kellogg-Henry gave a slideshow presentation inside the Dover School classroom. Her lecture focused on the history of mid-Michigan’s lumber era in the late nineteenth century, with details on the settlement of Harrison.
The presentation highlighted Scott Gerrish, an innovative lumber baron in Clare County. It featured a mention of the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia, a historic World’s Fair attended by Gerrish.
It was at the exhibition that Gerrish observed early demonstrations of the newly invented telephone. The experience inspired him to implement a telephone system for his private logging railroad in Clare County, marking one of the very first telephone lines ever established in the region.
Kellogg-Henry also discussed lumber baron Josiah Littlefield, a University of Michigan alumnus who later penned an autobiography detailing his life in the region. She emphasized that he was unusual for staying to live in the area he logged. In later years, Littlefield reforested lands he had cleared for lumber.
The talk referenced Jon Ringelberg’s log marks books, which cataloged ownership of timbers in the era. His series allows today’s researchers to identify and trace artifacts from so long ago. Ringelberg was present for answering questions after the talk.
Kellogg-Henry noted that the county’s soil was markedly different on either side of James Hill. To the south lies lands made fertile by receding glaciers millennia ago. To the north lies sandy areas which make for poor farming.
For audience questions, an attendee asked if the old Surrey House, which serves as the current location of the Harrison District Library, was haunted. Kellogg-Henry remarked that there have been no ghost sightings from “sober library workers.”
At 3 p.m., the winners of the Share Your History Contest were announced. The value of prizes totaled $250 in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Third place was awarded to Bill White for his essay, “History and Memories of Clare County Roadside Park.” The prize was $25.
Second place went to Elizabeth Queen for her historical display titled “3 Lakes Legacy.” The prize was $75.
Frank Hutchinson took first place with his essay, “Clare County Man Began With Two Strikes Against Him.” The prize was $150 in honor of the Dover School’s anniversary.
While the museum grounds will be closed over the winter, online history resources remain available on the society’s website (clarecountyhistory.org).
The museum is scheduled to re-open to the public next May.
