fall 2009 newsletter - north berrien historical society

8/8/2019 Fall 2009 Newsletter - North Berrien Historical Society

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The permanent collection of the North Berrien

Historical Society preserves the human record of the

North Berrien area. For more than 43 years the

NBHS has gathered and protected artifacts, docu-

ments, and books that are crucial to

teaching future generations about

the past. While many individual

stories can be illustrated with collec-

tions pieces, when brought together

they show a rich, interconnected re-

gional history.The upcoming exhibition

175 Years: Objects & Stories from

the Permanent Collection will bring

numerous artifacts out of storage

and onto public display, some for

the first time ever. Unassuming ob-

jects and photographs from count-

less donors can shape our local

identity by offering fascinating win-

dows into years gone by. Some for-gotten objects have recently re-

surfaced in the collection and their

stories are once again remembered.

To celebrate the 175th anniversary of the first

settlement at Shingle Diggins back in 1834, NBHS is

offering a fresh look at the objects and stories in our

permanent collection. The following are a few selec

tions of objects and stories that will be featured in the

exhibit.

The early settlement of the area is difficult to

represent through the collection, as

few objects and no contemporary

images have surfaced. Some of the

few surviving artifacts from that era

are Methodist hymnals owned by

Jerdon Jones. The oldest hymnal is

inscribed Dickervill January the __1854, a rare written reference to

the pre-Coloma days. Jones was an

early settler who owned property

along the southwest shore of Paw

Paw Lake. The other hymnals were

printed in 1860 and were used in the

early years of Methodist worship in

the area.

With the 100th anniversary of

the annual Coloma-Watervliet foot-ball rivalry, the story of young Emil

Hingst was revived through objects

and photographs in the collection. His framed por-

trait was recently donated to the museum by Bob

(Continued on page 4)

New Exhibition Opens October 8175 Years: Objects & Stories from the Permanent Collection

NORTH BERRIEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER

Vol. I, No. 3 Hagar Bainbridge Coloma Watervliet Fall 2009

300 Coloma Ave./ P.O. Box 207, Coloma, Michigan 49038 www.NorthBerrienHistory.org

Above: Methodist HymnalsBelow: Inscription on one inside cover


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North Berrien Historical SocietyBoard of Directors

Scott Young PresidentBennet Leedy 1st Vice PresidentKandyce Hays 2nd Vice PresidentCindy Young SecretaryShirley Boone TreasurerRay Mays Assistant TreasurerKarin Miller DirectorPauline Morris Director

Sherry Polashak DirectorSally Williams Director

Staff

Alexander Gates Director / CuratorTracy Gierada Director of EducationGwen Elsner Office Manager

300 Coloma Ave., P.O. Box 207

Coloma, MI 49038

Phone: (269) 468-3330

Fax: (269) 468-4083

www.NorthBerrienHistory.org

[email protected]

The mission of the North BerrienHistorical Society is to preserve anddistribute information regarding the

history of North Berrien County. Wewish to promote, encourage learning,

and disseminate knowledge of theareas cultural and architectural legacy.

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From the Directors DeskBy Alexander Gates

Another fiscal year has come to completion

and much has been accomplished. With 4,600 visitors

served this past year our attendance grew sixty percent

since 2008. New exhibits, school programs, and spe-cial events have brought in new audiences of all ages

from near and far. Historical celebrations including

the Lincoln Bicentennial, 100th Coloma-Watervliet

Football Game, and the 175th Birthday of Coloma all

contributed to historic awareness in the community.

An exciting year is planned for 2009-2010

with new exhibits and expanded programming. 175

Years: Objects & Stories from the Permanent Collec-

tion will open in October featuring a wide array of lo-

cal history stories. Then from April 1 - May 15, 2010

our latest traveling exhibit, The Life Atomic: Growing

Up in the Shadow of the A-Bomb, will be on view.

One highlight will be a life-size family fallout shelter

built in the museum gallery!

More improvements to the museum facilities

are planned including new lighting in the main gallery

and collections shelving in the Beverly Barn to im-

prove storage conditions for our objects.

Our millage renewal referendum is now less

than a year away with the election scheduled for Tues-

day, August 3, 2010. Remember that we could notoperate without the support of the entire community

through our millage. This stable funding allows us to

plan ahead and bring in top quality traveling exhibits

and programs as well as continued physical improve-

ments to the museum and improved collections care.

Finally, thank you to all of our members and

volunteers who make the museum a great success.

Please continue to get the word out about our work.

NBHS Board of Directors

seeks new membersDo you love being a part of your North Berrien

community? Are you looking for a new way to make

a positive impact? Please consider applying for a po-

sition on the North Berrien Historical Society Board of

Directors. This is an exciting time for NBHS and we

are looking for fresh ideas and enthusiasm. Contact

President Scott Young at 925-1660 to learn more

about this special opportunity.


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Page 4

(continued from page 1)

Myers of Stevensville to accompany Hingsts football

pants, which have been on display in the sports case

for many years. Several Coloma

High School football team images

dating from 1916-1918, in whichHingst is pictured, have also recently

been added to the collection. Yet,

his tragic story takes us far beyond

high school football and into other

important historical themes.

Myers stated that after the

final game of the season against Wa-

tervliet on November 11, 1918,

Hingst drove to Benton Harbor in an

open-top automobile and fell ill soonafter. Emil Hingst died of influenza in Coloma

Township on December 3 at the age of 19. The frame

holding Hingsts image is typical those available dur-

ing the First World War, with an eagle holding a flag

on the top and an American flag shield on the bottom.

This portrait could easily be misidenti-

fied as that of a fallen soldier if not for

the accompanying story. Hingst was not

the only person to die of influenza at

this time as millions perished during a

pandemic just after the wars end.

Not all objects at the North Ber-

rien Historical Museum are exception-

ally old. Some pieces have been added

to our collection to represent more cur-

rent times and to continue the historic

narrative into the present. A water ski

donated by Carole Sternaman illustrates

the modern age of leisure on Paw Paw

Lake. In the latter half of the twentieth

century speed boats led the way to new

forms of summertime entertainment in

the lake.

Numerous photographs from the collection

will be used to illustrate the built landscape that once

existed in the area. The west wall of the museum wil

be an interactive display featuring

images of vanished places in North

Berrien. These include the SymsMansion in Watervliet, the Waterv-

liet Paper Mill, Jacobia, and the In-

terurban Railroad. Visitors will look

at a map and attempt to guess which

building used to stand in which loca-

tion. The goal is that visitors will

recognize where historic buildings

existed when touring around the

area, and gain some insight as to how

those buildings shaped life here.A few objects will be included in the display

because their stories remain a mystery and their exhi-

bition may provide us with more information. A coin

from the Giudice Ice Cream

Parlor in Coloma appears to

be the sole artifact left from

a business that has left no

other trace. The shop was

likely located on Paw Paw

Lake, but no one has yet

come forward with any other

information about it.

Finally, a changing

textile exhibit will be created

to display the museums diverse holdings of clothing,

accessories, and home furnishings. Over 500 textile

pieces are in the collection, so the display will be ro-

tated regularly. Textiles are highly susceptible to

damage and will be displayed for limited time only to

ensure their preservation for future generations.

The new exhibit 175 Years: Objects & Stories

from the Permanent Collection will include the six

cases formerly filled with hats as well as the north-

west corner of the museum. Please join us for re-

freshments and good company at our Opening Recep-

tion on Thursday, October 8 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm.

By Alexander Gates, Curator

Emil Hingst Framed PortraitNBHS 2009.36.01

Left: Water ski owned by

Monte Sternaman of Coloma

NBHS 2009.40.01

Giudice Ice Cream Parlor

coin, NBHS 2009.16.01


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Page 5

Cold War and The Life Atomic will be featured in 2010

The spring of 2010 will feature an exciting

new traveling exhibition and program series at theNorth Berrien Historical Museum. The Life Atomic:

Growing Up in the Shadow of the A-Bomb was pro-

duced by the Rogers Historical Museum in Rogers,

Arkansas and funded by a Museums for America

grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Ser-

vices. It will be on display in Co-

loma from April 1 - May 15, 2010.

This traveling exhibit focuses

on the impact of the atomic bomb on

American popular culture in the1950s and 60s. Panels with images

and text, hands-on props, and a re-

created portion of a family fallout

shelter will teach visitors about the

development of the bomb and life at

the height of the Cold War. Local

artifacts will be added to the display,

and visitors will be encouraged to

submit their own memories of how the bomb became

a factor in their daily lives.In addition to a keynote lecture, film screen-

ings, and a Spring Break kids program, special tours

for school groups and adults will be offered during the

exhibit. Group activities will encourage students to

think critically about the Cold Wars influence on so-

ciety, government, and popular cul-

ture in the United States.

The Life Atomic is intended as

a vehicle for intergenerational discus-

sion about the threats faced byAmericans in the early atomic age

and the threats that face our nation

today. The North Berrien Historical

Museum invites community input as

we search for local artifacts, docu-

ments, and photographs relating to

nuclear weaponry and nuclear power

in southwest Michigan.

In the schools, duck and cover drills

trained students to react to an atomic

attack by crawling under their desks

and covering their heads with their

arms. Courtesy ofThe Detroit News.

Regional players have taken active roles in

advocating for history and historic preservation in our

area. NBHS took part in the first ever Michiana Re-

gional History Day on June 27, 2009 in Buchanan,

MI. Sponsored by the Buchanan Preservation Society

and Downtown Development Agency, the event fea-

tured seventeen organizations interested in history,

preservation, archaeology, genealogy, cemeteries and

more. The goals were to promote heritage travel, at-

tract potential volunteers, and create or strengthen ties

between local history groups.

On July 7 in St. Joseph, the Southwestern

Michigan Tourist Council hosted a free workshop

with the State Historic Preservation Office to reviewthe tax incentives available for the restoration and re-

use of historic properties. The benefits to local

economies through downtown revitalization and tour-

ism were also emphasized. One major step discussed

for regional heritage tourism is the West Michigan

Pike project, for which federal and state funds have

been appropriated to create a state-designated Heri-

tage Route. Call or e-mail Tracy at NBHS for infor-

mation about historic preservation tax credits and for

access to other resources.

The Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy is

a non-profit organization that has worked since 1991

to permanently protect natural, historic and scenic

landscapes to ensure the health and quality of life for

the people of southwest Michigan. Through the work

of volunteers and a professional staff, the SWMLC is

dedicated to preserving natural areas, historic sites,

and open spaces through gifts, purchases or conserva-

tion easements, and to promoting education, research,outdoor recreation, nature study, and ecologically-

sound land use practices. On Tuesday, November 17

at 7pm, the North Berrien Historical Museum will

welcome Land Protection Specialist Geoffrey Cripe to

share more about the work of the SWMLC.

Historic Preservation takes many forms in southwest Michigan


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Page 6

The Summer Time Travelers kids programs

introduced at the museum in June, July, and August

2009 were a great success. At each program, kids

ages 5-12 and families were in-

vited to take a trip to the past andexperience life in years gone by.

A unique theme tied together ac-

tivities throughout the museum,

providing kids with a hands-on,

interactive and fun tour through

time. Advance registration was

required but the programs were

free of charge to all participants.

The Time Travelers theme

on June 24 was Music. We discovered the impor-tance of drumming to the Potawatomi, and we ex-

plored an array of historic instru-

ments from the NBHS collection.

The Citadel Dancers performed

jazz and tap routines and we

learned about and listened to fa-

mous musicians like Louis Arm-

strong and Guy Lombardo who

played at Paw Paw Lake in the

resort era. After looking at a

gramophone, record player, 8-

track, cassette, and CD, kids made

a candy i-Pod to remind them of the huge leaps in

technology that have shaped music today. We also

practiced the Star Spangled Ban-

ner and everyone went home with

a small American flag, just in

time for the 4th of July.

On July 15 the Time Trav-

elers theme was Travel. Boat

Bingo was a fun way to look at

sailboats, steamers, shipwrecks,

lighthouses, and other water

travel images from our local his-

tory. NBHS photographs of the

interurban, the railroad, and artifacts like sleighs, car-

riages, and cars helped us cover the many modes of

travel from the past. Working model trains were on

loan from J&W Model Trains in Coloma and from

Sally Williams. Kids made a model birch bark canoe

and a model airplane to take home. Just after we saw

a slideshow of the major mile-

stones in U.S. space travel, amodel rocket was launched cour-

tesy of Bobs Hobby & Collec-

tors Shop in Watervliet.

Food was the theme for

August 12, when our Time Travel-

ers played many games to explore

the history of cooking and eating.

Items from the NBHS collection

that we enjoyed learning from in-

cluded the ancient stone mortar and pestle, butterchurns, a bee smoker, a wooden icebox, and a porce-

lain chamber pot. Many food

samples were tried throughout the

program, like fresh basil, mint tea,

fresh churned butter, orange cake,

pickled vegetables, salt pork,

smoked whitefish, and beef jerky.

The kids also received a coloring

cookbook with historic recipes to

take home.

Learning and fun were the

two major goals of Summer Time

Travelers, aiming to inspire a lifelong interest in his-

tory and in historical museums. The North Berrien

Historical Museum was able to

offer these exciting programs for

free because of the generous con-

tributions of local business own-

ers and volunteers, including

Mike Pirri, Elaine Gierada, Bob

Taylor, John Piehl, Kathleen Wal-

ter, Sherry Polashak, Marc Hettig,

Marie Sineni, Alice Mow, Mau-

reen Saltzman, Sally Williams,

Scott Young, and Shirley Boone.

With many ideas in mind for the future, we hope to

continue Summer Time Travelers as an annual tradi-

tion of learning and fun at the museum.

Summer Time Travelers meets goals: learning and fun

Rocket launch on July 15

Fruit game on August 12

Musical chairs on June 24


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Page 7

New Members

Charlene Andrews - Portage

Mark Baldwin - Watervliet

Jean Daniels - Riverside

Ed Fields - Hartford

Jean Chandler - Coloma

DonationsGeorge Urch in memory of his father, George Urch

Charlene AndrewsMark Baldwin

Alma Arent

To help us attain excellence in operations and

planning, the North Berrien Historical Society is cur-

rently participating in the Museum As-

sessment Program through the Ameri-

can Association of Museums. The

process began in 2008, when a team of

board members and staff began meet-

ing to complete a Self-Study Workbook. In Septem-

ber 2009, our Surveyor, an experienced museum pro-

fessional, will make a two-day site visit to the mu-

seum. The Surveyor will prepare a report of conclu-

sions and recommendations to assist us in identifying

and prioritizing our needs for improvement.The assessment is designed to provide an over-

view of the management and operations of the mu-

seum benchmarked against best practices in the indus-

try. With this information, the NBHS Board of Direc-

tors will have a blueprint for writing a Strategic Plan

to guide the organization in its long-term planning.

Over 5,000 museums have participated in the Museum

Assessment Program since it began in 1981.

Museum Assessment Program

helps NBHS look to the future

The North Berrien Historical Society has been

honored to receive many donations in memory of two

local citizens who recently passed away.

In Memory of Marion Leedy

Pat Snow Patricia Conway

Paul Soderburg, Jr. Dolores Krenek

Louise Dilts Roger Miller

Sally Williams Gordon Banasik

Carole Sternaman Fred Munchow

Mary Alyce Hettig

In Memory of Victor Grahn

Kenneth Nelson Maureen Saltzman

Roseann Clements Sue Patzer

Patricia Conway

Thank you to memorial donors

Individual ($15)

I would like to

volunteer for NBHS

Additional tax-deductible contribution: $________

Name

Address

City, State, ZIP

Phone

New Member

Returning Member

Total Amount Enclosed: $________

Send your completed form along with your check to:

North Berrien Historical SocietyP.O. Box 207, Coloma, MI 49038

Family ($50)

Student ($8)

Senior ($10)

E-mail

North Berrien Historical SocietyMembership Form

Thank you for your support!

Please check desired annual membership level.


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New Exhibit Coming Soon

175 Years: Objects & Stories from

the Permanent Collection

Opening Reception - October 8, 5:30 - 7:30pm

Hagar Bainbridge Coloma Watervliet www.NorthBerrienHistory.or

P.O. Box 207, Coloma, MI 49038

NONPROFIT ORG

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Watervliet, MI

Permit No. 29

Newsletter - Fall 2009

SummerFun

at the North Berrien Historical Museum

Above: Summer Time Travelers

Activities

Left: Coloma Migrant Program

Museum Tour

Above Left: New Museum Sign

Above Right: Cone Barn, New NBHS

Cut-out board at Glad-Peach Festival

fall 2009 newsletter - north berrien historical society

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