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 objects and photographs from countless donors can shape our local identity by offering fascinating windows into years gone by. Some forgotten 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 Diggin’s back in 1834, NBHS is offering a fresh look at the objects and stories in our permanent collection. The following are a few selections 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 football rivalry, the story of young Emil Hingst was revived through objects and photographs in the collection. His framed portrait was recently donated to the museum by Bob Myers of Stevensville to accompany Hingst’s 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 which Hingst 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 Watervliet on November 11, 1918, Hingst drove to Benton Harbor in an open-top automobile and fell ill soon after. Emil Hingst died of influenza in Coloma Township on December 3 at the age of 19. The frame holding Hingst’s image is typical those available during 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 misidentified 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 war’s end.
Not all objects at the North Berrien Historical Museum are exceptionally old. Some pieces have been added to our collection to represent more current 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 will be an interactive display featuring images of vanished places in North Berrien. These include the Syms Mansion in Watervliet, the Watervliet Paper Mill, Jacobia, and the Interurban Railroad. Visitors will look at a map and attempt to guess which building used to stand in which location. 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 exhibition 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 museum’s diverse holdings of clothing, accessories, and home furnishings. Over 500 textile pieces are in the collection, so the display will be rotated 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 northwest corner of the museum. Please join us for refreshments and good company at our Opening Reception on Thursday, October 8 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm.
