Cottage of the Four Seasons wins Peoples Choice Award

The Cottage of the Four Seasons was honored with the first annual People's Choice Award on Tuesday, December 15 at the North Berrien Historical Museum. A Gathering of 50 volunteers who assisted with making the event a success were in attendance at the award ceremony. Dusky Turner and Gayle Kelley accepted the award from Director Alexander Gates.

186 votes were cast at the Holiday Open House, December 5-6.


Second place went to Edgewater Bank

Third place to the Michigan Agri Women.


Thank you again to all 17 of our tree sponsors. We look forward to another terrific open house in 2010.

Looking for North Berrien Fallout Shelters

The North Berrien Historical Museum will host the exhibit "The Life Atomic: Growing Up in the Shadow of the A-bomb" April 1-May 15, 2010. Included in the exhibit is a section on the local effects of the atomic bomb. The North Berrien Historical Society is seeking information about fallout shelters built in the North Berrien area during the 1950s and 1960s. Do you remember building a shelter? Or do you have one on your property that is now used for another use?

Please contact the museum at 468-3330 if you have any information to share.

Holiday Open House a Great Success!

The 2009 North Berrien Holiday Open House was a great success thanks to the hard work of over 100 volunteers.



17 sponsors decorated 15 trees in the main museum building and the Carter House. The trees were viewed by 475 visitors who attended the open house over the weekend. 186 votes were cast for best tree, which will be announced at a volunteer reception on December 15.



Music was provided by The Children's Musical Workshop, Coloma Middle School, Coloma Junior High, Coloma High School, and Brenda Kniebes & Sherry Meyer.



Children of all ages made gingerbread houses and ornaments to take home.



Santa and Mrs. Claus once again visited the museum, creating excitment for many visiting children.



Mark you calendar for 2010 North Berrien Holiday Open House, December 4-5.

Holiday Decor

Holiday decor provided by local businesses and organizations will be on display throughout the holiday season.

Michigan Agri Women

Coloma Lioness Club

Cottage of the Four Seasons

Chemical Bank

The Friendly Tavern

Holiday Sneak Preview!

The 2009 Holiday Open House promises to be the best ever!



(L-R) The Friendly Tavern, Coloma Lioness, Chemical Bank, Edgewater Bank, Whistler Farms, Community Hospital



The Friendly Tavern tree.



Edgewater Bank's tree.

Sponsors Lined up for Christmas Trees

The North Berrien Historical Museum's 2009 Holiday Open House promises to be the biggest and best to date. Numerous tree sponsors have confirmed that they will decorate a tree this year. Confirmed sponsors include Edgewater Bank, Chemical Bank, Berrien Teacher's Credit Union, the Marc Hettig Family, Faith Lutheran Church, North Berrien Fire Rescue Ladies Auxillary, Community Hospital, the Coloma Lioness Club, and the Friendly Tavern.

In addition many trees will be decorated by North Berrien Historical Society members and volunteers. Stop by December 5 & 6 to see these beautiful trees on display!

Visitors enjoy "Spooky" tours on Halloween

The first annual "spooky" walking tours of Coloma and Watervliet were a great success. Despite cold weather the rain stayed away and allowed for two fascinating tours featuring local history stories.


Participants gathered in front of the grave of Stephen R. Gilson, "the founder of Coloma."


Participants gather for a picture with some of the local residents who still reside in the cemetary!


North Berrien Historical Society member Elaine Lavender offers a the ghost of a hobo some money by the train tracks. Newspaper accounts report that local residents used to fear hobos that hitched rides on the trains.