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NEWSLETTER
Summer 2012
Above: Pictured is the First Grade at Washington School in 1949-50, with longtime teacher Mrs. Grace Edinborough. One of these students is organizing a Washington School Reunion next summer! Learn more on Page 4.
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Above: Volunteers place a flag pole back in 1992, the year the North Berrien Historical Society opened the museum.
300 Coloma Ave. Phone: (269) 468-3330 P.O. Box 207 Fax: (269) 468-4083 Coloma, MI 49038 www.NorthBerrienHistory.org info@NorthBerrienHistory.org Connect with NBHS Online!
Become a fan on Facebook Curators Blog: NorthBerrienHistory.blogspot.com Twitter: Twitter.com/NBerrienHistory
Staff
Director / Curator Director of Education Office Manager
The mission of the North Berrien Historical Society is to preserve and distribute information regarding 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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All events are at the North Berrien Historical Museum unless otherwise noted.
What Lies Beneath: Treasures of Paw Paw Lake. Don "Mac" McAlhany, an experienced diver and founding member of the Michigan UnderWater Divers (MUD) Club, will present on the underwater sights beneath the waters of Paw Paw Lake. Along with some of the lake's resort history, McAlhany will discuss natural features and wreckage in Paw Paw Lake and show some of the "treasures" he has recovered during years of diving. A brief review of diving practices and discoveries in Lake Michigan will also be included. Free. Watervliet Cemetery Tour. During Watervliets Independence Day Celebration, meet at the Watervliet Cemetery for a free historical tour. Fascinating stories of past residents will highlight local history topics including mills, Civil War veterans, Paw Paw Lake, and baseball great Maud Nelson. Free.
The Past in Person: Singing Schooner Captain from 1875. In this musical, audience-centered program that will delight all ages, Michael Deren will Saturday, perform as a Great Lakes Schooner Captain from the year 1875. Using July 14, button accordion and concertina he will share the songs, history and 11am-Noon natural resources of the Great Lakes region. For more than 25 years Derens programs have entertained and inspired audiences throughout Michigan. Free and open to All Ages. Tuesday, July 17, 7pm Saturday, August 4, 9-10am Funeral Practices Then & Now. Join us for a presentation by local funeral directors Rebecca Hutchins Yazel of Hutchins Funeral Home in Watervliet, and Bryan Duffield of Duffield & Pastrick Family Funeral Home in Coloma. Their presentation will focus on the changes in funerary traditions and technologies through the years, along with some history of Coloma-Watervliet funeral homes. Free. Coloma Cemetery Tour. During the Glad-Peach Festival, meet at Coloma Cemetery for a free historical tour. Fascinating stories of past residents will highlight local topics including Shingle Diggins, war veterans, unique burial monuments, and Glad-Peach history. Free. Commemorating the War of 1812 on the Great Lakes. Jim Spurr, Chairman of the tall ship Friends Good Will at the Michigan Maritime Museum, will join us at the North Berrien Historical Museum to discuss the maritime history of the War of 1812. The Friends Good Will is modeled after a historic sloop captured by the British in 1812, and in July 2012 she will sail to Mackinac Island to participate in a reenactment for the bicentennial anniversary of the war. Free.
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Curators Corner
By Alexander Gates Many great objects have entered the collection in the last few months. Since my last column several members came forward with pieces to fill out holes in our exhibits. Will Nichols found us a 1938 Michigan license plate, Irma Krieger donated her husband Allans Watervliet letter sweater, and Allen Barchett brought in a collection of flour sacks. Our collection of late 20th century artifacts also grows over time. Karl Bayer at the Tri-City Record has provided us with photographs of local events from the 1990s. The estate of Marion Leedy has given us historically valuable photographs and archives from her years as a newspaper reporter covering local politics and schools. Additional donations recently accessioned to the collection include: Rick Rasmussen Paw Paw Lake materials Bill Smith seed planter, animal harness Fame Arent spinning wheel and clock wheel Bob Dorstewitz CHS Class of 1960 reunion book Norm Wilhelmsen Yacht Club yearbooks Kathleen Walter 1902 Eaman School photo Sheila Gast Coloma photographs Cindy Young WHS Football posters Darwin Hettig 1921 Coloma School photo Victor Yancich Friendly Chats Snapshots Norris Arent Baritone Horn Vicki Brinker - postcards Artifacts we are currently seeking include: Images and artifacts from Deer Forest Books by North Berrien authors True Point products
Above: This image of synchronized water skiers was recently donated and can now be seen in our renovated exhibit case about the resort history of Paw Paw Lake. Gift of Rick Rasmussen. NBHS 2012.07.45
Washington School
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Now part of a much larger district, Washington continued to accept students. By 1967 eleven teachers were employed at the school. Building additions made in the 1950s-70s added twelve more classrooms and other needed spaces to the school. For well over 75 years, many caring teachers, administrators, and generations of families and students made Washington School a place to be proud of in our community. NBHS Member and Paw Above: Paw Lake historian Rick RasKindergartener Ricky mussen is spearheading a plan to Rasmussen wants you hold a Reunion for any and all to attend a Washingalumni of Washington School, ton School Reunion! which is tentatively set for the third Saturday in June 2013. Rick is looking for committee members from a range of classes to help organize the event. To become involved in the Reunion Committee, please contact Rick at 463-3450.
Above: The oldest part of Washington School includes this plaque recognizing the construction committee in 1937. Two names well-known in the area were Frank Dlouhy, owner of the famed dance hall Crystal Palace nearby, and Cecil Potts, who would later become the original owner and primary builder of Deer Forest in 1949.
Above: These young men were the Yell Masters of Watervliet High School in 1928: Bob Shire, Elm Falk, and Art Gilchrist. This image is in the 1928 Wapuscho, a student newspaper similar to a yearbook, recently donated to the museum. Gift of Vicki Brinker. NBHS 2012.25.05.
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Left: Marilyn Kelley Nemethy is interviewed in the museum by WSBTs Denise Bohn about her memories of Titanic survivor Ruth Blanchard. Right: Ruth Blanchard in 1960, appearing in the Benton Harbor News-Palladium.
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Below Left: Don McAlhany of the MUD Club helps demonstrate diving equipment at our Shipwreck Explorers Spring Break Activity Day. Middle: The St. Joseph Lighthouse craft at Spring Break. Below Right: NBHS Youth Interns Amanda Armstrong, Alexis Kroschel, and Allison Martinez help with the kids activities at Spring Break.
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I may like to
Volunteer
Donations
Anita Hirsch Frances Bishop Mark Baldwin Suzanne Knutson Jim & Sherry Polashak George & Maggie Richter Southwest Michigan Postcard Club In Memory of Iva Nichols Brian Grant Sally Williams Michael Twite Susan Greco Tom VanLierop Donald Weckwerth Joyce Spencer Mickey Willmeng Cyndy Winfield Ron Winfield Ewald Rodewald Jean Fannin Sandy Kraemer Douglas Geisler Mark Baldwin
Memberships
James Lull Rosanne Bittner Betty Lull Anita Hirsch DaWayne Biastock Tom Loomis Russell Carlson Jerry Puckett Elaine Carlson Nancy McKie Barbara Tyler Chriss Lyon Robert & Elaine Gierada Family
from 1875
www.NorthBerrienHistory.org