fall 2013 newsletter - north berrien historical society

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NORTH BERRIEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY

NEWSLETTER

Vol. V, No. 3 Hagar Bainbridge Coloma Watervliet Fall 2013

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

After years of research and planning, NBHS

celebrated the dedication of a new Michigan Histori-cal Marker on August 9, 2013. The former ColomaInterurban Station is now recognized for its statewideand regional historical significance, both by themarker and a listing on the State Register of HistoricPlaces. Located on South Paw Paw Street, the build-ing is currently a storage facility owned by the City ofColoma. The text of the historical plaque reads:

Built in 1910 by the Benton Harbor- St. JoeRailway and Light Company, this station served pas-sengers and freight until 1928. The stations trans-former provided Colomas first source of electricity.The electrified interurban rail line originally ran fromBenton Harbor through Millburg to Coloma. In 1913it was extended east to Watervliet. In the summer aspur carried vacationers, many from Chicago, on toPaw Paw Lake resorts. Each evening, the railway car-ried fruit from the area to Benton Harbor. From thereit was shipped overnight to Chicago for the morningmarket. Between 1928 and 1993 the building was

used as an electrical substation.The North Berrien Historical Society used our

museum collections and additional intensive researchto document the stations history through primarysources, required for the Michigan Historical Com-mission to approve the marker. Photographs, maps,newspaper stories, and public records made up overforty attachments with our application. The City ofColomas Downtown Development Authority fundedthe production, and it was installed by the citys Pub-lic Works Department. Special guests who spoke atthe dedication ceremony included Coloma Mayor Jim

Polashak, Michigan Historical Commissioner TomTruscott, and U.S. Representative Fred Upton. In

Historical Marker dedicated atold Interurban Railway Station

About sixty attendees witnessed the dedication of the newMichigan Historical Marker on a nice August evening.

Photo Contest deadline is Sept. 21 (p. 7)

Annual Meeting & Live Music Oct. 15 (p.3)

Barn Exhibits to be Renovated (p. 5)

Circa 1910


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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 TreasurerMarc Hettig DirectorKarin Miller DirectorPauline Morris DirectorSherry Polashak DirectorTom Scheid DirectorSally Williams Director

Staff

Tracy Gierada Director / CuratorPauline Wendzel Director of ProgramsSarah Cook Office Manager

300 Coloma Ave. Phone: (269) 468-3330

P.O. Box 207 Fax: (269) 468-4083

Coloma, MI 49038

www.NorthBerrienHistory.org

[email protected]

The mission of the North Berrien HistoricalSociety is to preserve and distribute informationregarding the history of North Berrien County.

We wish to promote, encourage learning,and disseminate knowledge of the areas

cultural and architectural legacy.

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From the Directors DeskBy Tracy Gierada

If you havent yet seen the Smithsonian exhibitJourney Stories, be sure to plan a visit soon. Its herethrough September 21, open Tuesday through Satur-day, 10am to 4pm. Experience immigration, migra-

tion, and travel stories in our history through an in-credible array of Smithsonian images, audio and re-production artifacts. Record your own 90-secondjourney story to be preserved by the Smithsonian! Weare still welcoming student and adult groups to sched-ule a free tour of the exhibit before it closes. NBHS isgrateful to the Michigan Humanities Council and theSmithsonians Museum on Main Street program forbringing this fantastic exhibit and program series toour community.

OurJourney Stories marketingreached across

the region this summer. The exhibit was even high-lighted by the Michigans Great Southwest ad cam-paign and frequently promoted on the radio. Manystores, restaurants, libraries, and other public locationshave shared our posters and information cards, includ-ing our booth at the Berrien County Youth Fair.

We have re-arranged display cases and openeda new gift shop area in the main gallery to prepare fortheJourney Stories exhibit. Some major changes arealso now in the works in the area around the museum.Coloma Schools are in the midst of numerous con-

struction projects. Comet football games will nowtake place on the brand-new stadium built across theroad. The City is now replacing the water and sewersystem throughout Coloma Heights, the neighborhoodbehind us. Unfortunately, this has meant that theroads are torn up while work progresses, but access tothe museum has been maintained via our driveway offof Red Arrow Highway. Im very much looking for-ward to the changes to come in our Nichols-Beverlyexhibits on lumbering and agriculture. Your ideasabout improvements to our indoor and outdoor spaces

at the museum are always welcome.I hope you can join us for the NBHS Annual

Meeting on October 15. Im excited to share moredetails about our recent activities and the StrategicPlan that will shape the historical society and museumin the coming years. Its a great opportunity to meetand chat with others interested in local history, andwell have a delightful musical performance by theDeep Fried Pickle Project. Please RSVP for dinner, orjoin us after dinner either way, I believe youll leaveinformed, inspired and entertained!

North Berrien History Blog:

NorthBerrienHistory.Blogspot.com

Twitter: Twitter.com/NBerrienHistory

Connect with NBHS Online!

Facebook: Facebook.com/NorthBerrienHistory


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Tuesday,September 17,

7pm

Overseas Veterans Panel Discussion, presented with LestWe Forget. Local veterans will share their stories of militaryservice abroad and take audience questions. Speakers willinclude Jimmy Butt (WWII), Willis Bouma (WWII), Gust

Anton (Korea), and Don Alsbro (Vietnam),pictured. Free.

Tuesday,October 15,

6pm

North Berrien Historical Society Annual Meeting and

Dinner. Enjoy dinner with friends and learn about the recentactivities and future plans at the museum, followed by aperformance of American folk music by the Deep Fried Pickle Project. All are welcome;Invitations will be mailed to members in late September. Please see below for more info.

Saturday,October 26,

11am & 1pm

Halloween Cemetery Tours. See historic pictures and hear personalstories from the past on a fun walk through our beautiful citycemeteries. Coloma Cemetery Tour begins at 11am, Watervliet

Cemetery Tour begins at 1pm. Free.

Tuesday,November 19,

7pm

Christmas at the Watervliet Paper Mill. View picturesand learn about the holiday parties for workers and theirfamilies at the Watervliet Paper Company. Attendees areinvited to help identify our pictures and bring in their ownmementos and memories to share. Free.

December 6-8Holiday Open House. Save the dates for our very popular annual holiday festivities at themuseum, with beautiful trees, gingerbread house making and other crafts, music and more.

Thurs., Dec. 5,5:30-7pm

Holiday Lights & Delights Fundraiser.

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Mark your Calendars!All events are at the North Berrien Historical

Museum unless otherwise noted.

On Tuesday, October 15, the North BerrienHistorical Society invites members and the public toattend our Annual Meeting and Dinner. The meal at

6pm requires an RSVP and pre-payment, but all arewelcome to the meeting and pro-gram to follow free of charge. Atthe meeting we will elect BoardDirectors, review our new five-year Strategic Plan and sharecopies of our Annual Report. Thefeatured program will be a livelymusical performance by thepopular local bandDeep FriedPickle Project.

Founded over a decade ago, the Deep FriedPickle Project has performed across the nation. Theband is headed up by Daniel J. Daniel and AlanSelvidge, who are both teachers in Coloma Schools.Inspired especially by the folk sounds and narrativesongs of the 1920s and 30s, the band mixes vocals,guitar, jug, harmonica, washboard, and a range of

homemade instruments. They will also talk a bitabout the history of Jug Bandand Roots music. For this per-formance at the museum, DFPPwill be joined with vocals byAlans wife Becky Selvidge,choral director for ColomaSchools. You will surely enjoythe toe-tapping, vintage style ofthese talented performers.

Annual Meeting Program:

Great Old-Time Music


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accepting the historical marker, Mayor Polashak praised the work of NBHSand presented a key to the city certificate to Mr. Truscott. The Program fromthe Dedication Ceremony can still be obtained upon request at the North Ber-rien Historical Museum.

The historical marker dedication event was held as part of our GrandOpening Reception for theJourney Stories traveling exhibit sponsored by theSmithsonian and the Michigan Humanities Council. At the reception the hu-manities councils Executive Director Erik Nordberg addressed the crowd, anda ribbon cutting was held with the Coloma-Watervliet Area Chamber of Com-merce. The reception featured great refreshments from generous local donorsincluding Twelve Corners Winery, Vineyards Gourmet Chocolates, FruitAcres, Greg Orchards & Produce, Healthy to the Core and Hardings.

Our Summer Time Travel-ers programs were popular againthis summer. Designed for ages 6-12, each program explored a fasci-

nating historical topic throughhands-on projects and museumartifacts. We are proud to offerthese memorable museum experi-encesfor free to local children andfamilies.

Our first program wasabout Pioneers. We learned aboutspinning and weaving and howpeople had to make most of thethings they owned. Viewing vari-ous home-made artifacts, kidslearned how even toys were made

by hand, creating their own yarnfriends and colorful buzz sawtoys. Other frontier jobs we triedout included butter churning (andtasting) and dipping our own can-dles to take home.

In the Sky was an excitingprogram made possible with helpfrom the pilots with the WatervlietEAA (Experimental Aircraft As-sociation). Our Time Travelersmade their own paper airplanes

after a lesson on airplane controls and aerodynamicsfrom the guest pilots. We discussed the history of

flight from hot air balloons to space ships and got totry real astronaut ice cream! The highlight of the day

was making our own rockets,which we launched with PVCpipes and 2-liter pop bottles.

The next Time Travelersprogram was All About Cars. To

start, kids learned about HenryFord and then built grahamcracker cars in an assembly linegame. Next we heard from a realrace car driver and learned aboutNASCAR history. Attendees hadtheir own NASCAR race with col-orful balloon cars. To end the daywe took a ride in a real 1924Model T, thanks to Fred Grant!

The Coloma MigrantProgram students also greatlyenjoyed activities with NBHS this

summer. Younger kids came tothe museum to enjoy our fun Pio-neers program. The older studentswere treated to a visit to the Wa-tervliet Airport and our historicalactivities from In the Sky anexciting program again in partner-ship with the Watervliet EAA.

The North Berrien Histori-cal Museum can only offer theseexciting and fun programs be-cause of the generosity of our

wonderful volunteers. Their time, enthusiasm, andpatience are vital to the success of these activities.

Education NewsBy Pauline Wendzel

Grand Opening,cont. from Page 1.

Left: Michigan Historical Commissioner Tom Truscottofficially presents the historical marker to the City of

Coloma, while NBHM Director Tracy Gierada looks on.Right: Colomas Public Works crew is pictured as they

install the marker in early August.


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Many generous donorshave contributed artifacts to helpNBHS preserve the stories of locallife. Thank you to the followingpeople and groups for contributing

original historical materials to ourcollection in the past year:

Vicky McDonald- postcardsPamela Quinn - Miss Watervliet History BinderMark Dwiggins - Watervliet Paper Mill photos

Charlene Durfee - History of Eaman SchoolWilbur Dick- Coloma/Watervliet band recordings

Judy Hasselbring - Berrien Co. Quilt Guild BookletsCarole Kiernan - Watervliet Paper Mill products

Edith Munchow - WWII-era letters of Louis BujackJoyce Thomas - Photo of Grace Merchant Kibler

Cindy Young - Helen Lobdell book, photos, postcards

Howard Kimball - cranberry harvesterSusan Plee - 1930s CHS autograph booksWill Nichols - Berry-picking volume ticketsTony & Pat Valenti - lamp, farm literature

Lisa Muth - 8mm projector and screenColoma Community Pageant Org. - 2012 Court photoBennet Leedy - photographs, artwork by E. Krieger

Laurie Brule - Watervliet merchants ticket stubDan Donnelly - Paw Paw Lake brochure & bill of fare

Mary Alyce Hettig - felt top hatKen Beehler- Ingraham School photo,

CHS graduation announcementsKeith Craig - Naturalization Certificate, 1914

Dennis Burlingham - Blossomtime cola bottle,Territorial Road Book

Steve Sublett- Coloma cider mill photographsLawrence Gracer- school items, BHHS 1940 yearbook

Nancy Weir- Hipskind Building Supply apronClare Horneij - Gedwin ice box, resort photos

Rhonda Richards - greeting card, political ephemeraMike Muenchow - 1933 Worlds Fair zeppelin menu

Richard Dorstewitz - local school souvenirsRick Rasmussen - Paw Paw Lake area photosBob & Claudia Jackson -plat maps, hay hook

Fred Munchow - photographsPauline Morris - glass rolling pin

Fred Grant- Model T Book

Joanne Murray - Pier School photoLarry Taylor- Game licensesPeggy Utterback- local milk bottlesKay Heffner- Washington Sch. photosCity of Watervliet- City Hall SafeMary Ann Zechiel - NBHS docs

Sandra Enter- Washington Sch. bookIrma Krieger- fruit labels

Tom Norden - Berrien Co. DirectoryColoma Comm. Schools - Washington

PTA tea service

Collected by staffBench & sign from McDaniels Field1953 Potawatomi Resort brochure

Twelve Corners Community Church Cookbook

Volunteers and Advisors sought tohelp with new Agricultural Exhibit

NBHS will soon renovate our lumbering andfarm displays into a comprehensive new exhibit calledMoving from Forest to Fruit Belt. Our goal is to cre-ate an unparalleled attraction that engages visitorswith local agricultural history. The new exhibit will

open in the spring, so we will be hard at work plan-ning until then. By December 1, a complete draftscript and overview of the exhibit will be availablefor community review. We invite interested localsto provide feedback as the exhibit is developed. Finalproduction and installation will take place in March2014. Hands-on volunteer help will be neededthroughout the winter and spring in preparing theNichols-Beverly Barn and other aspects of the exhibit.If you are interested in contributing to this project,please contact the museum at 468-3330 or [email protected].

Curators CornerBy Tracy Gierada

Fred Munchow - Ingraham School under construction


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In June the museum dis-played the large Lest We Forgettraveling exhibit in our basement,which is our normal programspace on the third Tuesday of

each month. On June 18, NBHSheld a fun evening out- a won-derful group dinner at Zekes anda visit to the new DowagiacArea History Museum. Wewere thrilled to have the DirectorSteve Arseneau provide us with atour of their impressive newgal-leries. The group enjoyed thegreat artifacts related to Dowa-giac industries including RoundOak and Heddon, as well as fa-

mous individuals from the area.A great audience attended

our July 16 program presented byDirector/ Curator Tracy GieradatitledLegends of Paw PawLake. Using artifacts from theNBHS collection and thelegends of local residents, theprogram gave an overview offascinating lake stories from Na-tive Americans through the endof the resort era.

In early August we cele-brated the national traveling ex-hibitJourney Stories with aGrand Opening Reception. Webegan with a historical markerdedication at the Coloma Inter-urban Station. Following theceremony everyone proceeded tothe museum for areception and ribboncutting at the exhibit.

To compli-ment Journey Sto-ries, NBHS providedcommunity pro-grams with localpartners and withsupport from the

Michigan Humanities Council.The first of two lectures tookplace on Saturday, August 10.The lecture Pokagon Potawa-tomi: Keepers of the Fire was

presented by Dr. John Low, histo-rian and citizen of the PokagonBand of Potawatomi Indians. Hediscussed the local bands historyand culture as well as the practiceof making of birch bark canoes.

On August 20, DonnaOdom of the Southwest MichiganBlack Heritage Society presentedon the Underground Railroad inSouthwest Michigan. She tracedthe common patterns of travel in

this region, as well as some amaz-ing individual stories of peopleinvolved, whether they were ontheir way to freedom or helpingothers on their journey.

All ages were treated to aJourney on the Erie Canal in theyear 1840 with veteran historicalinterpreter and musician MichaelDeren. He explained how thelocks were an amazing revolutionin travel, moving ships throughchanging elevations and bringingthe first large settlements toMichigan. Another great programfor all ages is ourFamily TrainsDay set for Sept. 14, call the mu-seum for details.

In collaboration withSarett Nature Center the museum

hosted a VoyageurCanoe Trip onPaw Paw Lake on

a beautiful after-noon August 25. Ona 34- foot replicacanoe, we learnedabout the voyagerswho traveled ourwaterways trans-

Museum hosted an exciting summer of public programs and events

Top to Bottom: 1. Donna Odom speaks at the museum. 2.Our group for the voyageur canoe trip on Paw Paw Lake.3. The NBHS booth at the Glad-Peach Festival. 4. Tour Guide Carole Sternaman shows some neighborhood kids around

Journey Stories. 5. Captain Bill Thomas shows and discusses a model Erie Canal boat.


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Individual ($15)

I may like to

Volunteer

Additional tax-deductible contribution: $________

Name

Address

City, State, ZIP

Phone

New Member

Renewing Member

Total Amount Enclosed: $________

Send your completed form along with your check to:

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

Family Donor ($50)

Student ($8)

Senior ($10)

E-mail

North Berrien Historical SocietyMembership Form

Benefits include: Quarterly Newsletter, Advance inviteto special events, and Members-only opportunities

Please check desired annual membership level.

Memberships

Donations

Thank you for your support!

porting furs in the 1700s as well as fancy paddlingtechniques. On August 29 we also held a HistoricalKayak Tour of Little Paw Paw Lake with SarettNature Center where we discussed past resorts andactivities on the lake as well as learned about itsplants and animals.

We presented a Bainbridge Cemeteries Tour

in partnership with the Berrien County GenealogicalSociety on September 5. The program featured fasci-nating personal journey stories of past residents andhistoric pictures on a walk through several beautifulBainbridge Township cemeteries.

NBHS was also at the local summer festivalsthis year. Groups enjoyed a Watervliet CemeteryTour during the Independence Day Celebration and aColoma Cemetery Tour during the Glad-Peach Fes-tival. The NBHS booth at Glad-Peach was calledHis-tory in the Park. Kids enjoyed playing croquet andtaking pictures in our face boards. We raised funds byselling delicious pies. We look forward to continuingto participate in these festivals to promote local his-tory and interact with the community.Below: NBHS Booth during the 2013 Glad-Peach Parade

Alice Mow Rod FrantzLydia Groth Dorothy FrantzElaine Carlson Sandy KraemerEwald Rodewald Avery OpenneerRon Winfield Douglas GeislerCyndy Winfield Sandra VandrasekCharlene Andrews Marsha ColeSue Dahlquist Fred GrantMargaret Schmieding Sylvia LiebergMark Baldwin DaWayne BiastockGary Dorstewitz Beth BeamAlma Arent Rick BeamJay & Sarah Jollay Family

Marge DuVernay Charles & Mary AdamsColoma Migrant Program In Memory of Bibs Page

2013

Photo Contest

Exhibit

OCTOBER 1-31

North Berrien Through My Eyes Photo Contest -Submissions are welcome through Saturday, Sept. 21.Photographers of all ages can submit up to five origi-nal photos in print or online. No entry fee; Winnersare awarded a local gift certificate. Top entries will

be exhibited at the museum in October and preservedin the NBHS collection.

Photo by Pauline Wendzel.


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Hagar Bainbridge Coloma Watervliet www.NorthBerrienHistory.org

NONPROFIT ORG

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Watervliet, MI

Permit No. 29

Newsletter - Fall 2013

P.O. Box 207, Coloma, MI 49038

Temp-Return Service Requested

Family Trains Day- Sept. 14

Veterans Panel Discussion - Sept. 17

Annual Dinner & Meeting - Oct. 15Feat. The Deep Fried Pickle Project

Halloween Cemetery Tours - Oct. 26

Christmas at the WatervlietPaper Mill - Nov. 19

Fall Events

2013 Photo ContestNorth Berrien Through My Eyes

Contest DeadlineSept. 21

ExhibitOct. 1-31

Hours:Tuesday - Saturday,

10am to 4pm

Smithsonian

ExhibitOpen Through

September 21

fall 2013 newsletter - north berrien historical society

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