Free Hagar Township History program is January 18

The public is invited to attend “History of Hagar Township,” a narrated slide show at the North Berrien Historical Museum on Tuesday, January 18 at 7:00pm. Discover surprising and fascinating stories from the past in Hagar Township at this encore of our “Hagar History Day” slide show from July 2010. The presentation will feature images and artifacts from the museum’s collection with discussion by Tracy Gierada, Director of Education at the North Berrien Historical Museum.

The slide show will cover some of the most notable tales from the past in Hagar Township, beginning with European explorers, early American settlers, and the lumber industry. The rise of resorts will also be covered, including the large estate known as “Jacobia” with its wooden water tower on the lakeshore and the community at Lake Michigan Beach. Learn the origins of place names and hear about many strange but true stories from the area, such as the eccentric pioneers Kate and Ebenezer Standish and a deadly visit by Chicago gangsters in 1928.

This event is free of charge. For more information please contact the North Berrien Historical Museum at (269) 468-3330.

New Exhibit Highlights Michigan Women's Military Service During World War Two

A traveling World War Two exhibit is schedule for the spring at the North Berrien Historical Museum. “A Few Good Women: Women in the Military During the Second World War” is a traveling exhibit from the Michigan Women’s Historical Center in Lansing and will be on view at the North Berrien Historical Museum from April 1 – May 27, 2011.

The traveling exhibit highlights the involvement of Michigan women in the military during the Second World War including the Army and Navy Nurses Corps, Coast Guard SPARS, Marine Corps, Navy WAVES, WACs (Women Army Corps) and WASP (Women Air Force Service Pilots). Several Michigan women who have earned a place in the Michigan’s Women’s Hall of Fame for their service in the war are specifically covered.


Michiganders can be proud of female veterans including Nancy Harkness Love (1914-1976), a native of Houghton, Michigan, who helped found and was director of the Women’s Auxiliary Ferry Squadron (WAFS) in 1942. Love hand-selected the country’s top twenty-eight female pilots to serve in the WAFS ferrying planes from factories to bases across the country.


First Lieutenant Aleda Lutz (1915-1944), of Saginaw, Michigan, is one of the most celebrated women war heroes in American history. Lutz volunteered with the 802nd Medical Air Evacuation Squadron where she flew 196 missions evacuating over 3500 men, logging the most flight hours of any nurse. Lutz was killed in 1944 when her plane crashed in Italy, making her the first American military women to die in a combat zone during the war. With the exception of Civil War Era Doctor Mary Walker, Lutz is the highest decorated woman in the history of the United States of America.

The exhibit will also feature Second World War artifacts from the collection of the North Berrien Historical Museum and other local collections. For additional information please contact the museum at 269-468-3330.

11 exciting things at the museum in 2011

1 Annual Dinner this fall –yum!
2 Exciting Cemetery Tours in October
3 Traveling exhibition kiosks on the Western Bloomer Girls
4 Days of Holiday Open House (December 1-4, 2011)
5 Time Travelers programs this summer
6 types of ice cream to choose from at our Cone Barn during Coloma Glad Peach Festival (August 4-7)
7 Applications received so far for our youth intern program, which begins in January
8 Weeks of A Few Good Women: Women in the Military During World War II (April 1 – May 27, 2011)
9 players on every baseball team playing in the Maud Nelson Invitational Baseball Tournament (June 25 & 26, 2010).
10 more convenient parking spots in front of the museum this year.
11 monthly speakers (every third Tuesday at 7pm from January through November)

Free Winter Break 'New Years Fun' kids program

A free educational program for children and families will be held at the North Berrien Historical Museum during the final week of 2010. ‘Winter Break Time Travelers: New Years Fun,’ will be an interactive afternoon at the museum. Have a ball with games and crafts as we learn about New Years traditions from the past! Designed for ages 6-12 and families, all Time Travelers programs feature hands-on activities, a craft to take home, and a welcoming atmosphere. ‘New Years Fun’ will be held on Wednesday, December 29, from 1 – 2:30pm. This event is free but RSVP is requested. To register your child or for more information, call the museum at 269-468-3330. Only in case of severe snow or ice, this program will be rescheduled for December 30, 1 – 2:30pm. Please call the museum to confirm.

Youth Internship now offered at North Berrien Historical Museum

Students currently in grades 7-12 are now invited to apply for a Youth Internship at the North Berrien Historical Museum in Coloma, MI. Youth Interns get the exciting opportunity to work on real projects that support our mission to preserve and promote local history. To obtain a schedule and Application for the 2011 Youth Internship program, please stop by the museum or e-mail nbhs2@sbcglobal.net. Applications must be postmarked or hand-delivered to the museum no later than Friday, January 7, 2011.

The Youth Internship is a commitment to volunteer time every other week from late January – May 2011, in which students will get to know the museum and practice new skills. Participants will be trained by the museum’s professional staff to do activities such as caring for artifacts, doing oral history interviews, and sharing local history with the public. Youth Interns will also learn more about career possibilities related to museums, history and culture, all while gaining an impressive internship experience to list on their resumes and college applications!

For more information about this new program, contact the North Berrien Historical Museum’s Director of Education Tracy Gierada at (269) 468-3330 or nbhs2@sbcglobal.net.

Holiday Open House a Great Success

The 6th Annual North Berrien Holiday Open House was once again a great success with nearly 500 visitors touring the museum. The Christmas trees will remain on view throughout December.


The Upbeats with Pete and Marge Mannino perform during Senior Day at the museum.


The Serenata Strings played for a full house during the Friday evening Holiday Tasting Gala.


Gingerbread House making was once again a hit with nearly 60 houses being built over the weekend.


Santa and Mrs. Claus visited with children (and board presidents) on Saturday afternoon.


Children of all ages made holiday cards in the Carter Gallery.


Ruthie Coburn shows us how to walk the walk during our annual cookie walk.


Even the bomb shelter is decked out for the holidays.

Director's Invitation to the 6th Annual North Berrien Holiday Open House

It is my pleasure to invite you to the North Berrien Historical Museum's 6th Annual Holiday Open House on December 2-5, 2010. Our volunteers have truly outdone themselves this year with 25 trees decorated by 20 different local business and organizations.

A special thank you to all of our tree sponsors: Chemical Bank, Edgewater Bank, Mag’s Raggs and Rag Bags, Cottage of the Four Seasons, Coloma Lioness Club, Whistler Farm, Four Seasons Pool & Spa, Jollay Orchards, Community Hospital Watervliet, Captain Kirk’s Car Wash, Honor Credit Union, Eco-Logical Cleaners, Family Farm and Home, Mattson’s House of Décor, Paw Paw Lake Rotary Club, Michigan Agri Women, Reflections Salon, Friendly Tavern, North Berrien Food Pantry, and Faith Lutheran Church. An additional thank you to our donors for our Holiday Tasting Gala on Friday, December 3: Jollay Orchard, Bob’s Barn, Papa Scott’s Market, and Vineyards Gourmet.

Below are a few preview images of the museum decked out for the holiday season. Please visit our website at http://www.northberrienhistory.org/Christmas_2010.html for a full list of holiday events at the museum.

Sincerely,
Alexander Gates, Director and Curator


The 2010 Cottage of the Four Seasons tree in the main gallery.


Carter House living room display featuring trees by Community Hospital Watervliet, Edgewater Bank, Jollay Orchards, Whistler Farm, Four Season's Pool & Spa, and Mag's Raggs and Rag Bags.


The Carter House dining room with a view of trees decorated by Family Farm and Home, Mattson's House of Decor, Reflection's Salon, Coloma Lioness Club, Honor Credit Union, Friendly Tavern, and the North Berrien Food Pantry.


Santa and his sleigh full of presents in the main gallery.

The Wigwam Hotel: Paw Paw Lake's Most "Luxurious"

Built in 1898 by Captain Lyman and Sarah Feltus, the Wigwam Hotel was two stories high, boasted a double-decker veranda and the most “luxurious” accommodations on Paw Paw Lake. Each of the 35 rooms opened directly onto the veranda so that guests could stroll or sit and visit in view of the lake. The dramatic vistas of Paw Paw Lake gave the effect that the porches virtually hung in the tree tops. A dining room known as the Knotty Pine was also built across the street.



The property was two of 124 parcels, known as Edgewater Glen, which Mr. Feltus developed and sold in 1905 to Ella Reed and Freeman Gross, who incorporated it into the Wigwam Hotel Co. Inc., and built an annex next door to increase their guest capacity to over 120 guests. The property remained in the Gross family for 25 years before a series of owners operated it as a resort in the summer months up until 1962. During its heyday in the 1930s the Wigwam dining room had a seating capacity of 100 and was open to the public. Hotel employees included a chef from Alabama that specialized in southern cooking and an African American porter who greeted guests upon their arrival. A private beach, large pier, and hot and cold running water in every room were just some of the guest amenities. The hotel was a well known special event location for Coloma and Watervliet over the years hosting meetings, receptions, and parties.

In 1963 the property was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. George Erlich, who over the years renovated the hotel into a home. Although Knotty Pine burned down in the 1970s, the Wigwam remained well maintained as a private residence. According to Mr. Erlich the Wigwam was “just a shell” when they purchased it in 1963, but was restored, including using the hotel post office box for tool storage. Under the Erlich ownership the Wigwam became the lake children’s “headquarters.” Mrs. Erlich once recalled 35 children sleeping on the floor in front of the fireplace, which boasted a rock from every state in the union. The Erlichs also built a stage and life-size teepee in their attic for the children to use. Austin and Jean Stanton purchased the home in 1986 keeping its historic character intact. The former Wigwam Hotel and Annex were both destroyed by fire on November 26, 2010.

Christmas Trees!

Join us December 2-5, 2011 for the North Berrien Historical Museum's 6th annual Holiday Open House. Over 20 sponsored Christmas trees will provide the backdrop for a weekend of great events. Below are a few previews of trees you will see.


President and Mrs. Obama on Mag's Raggs' tree


Community Hospital Watervliet tree



Edgewater Banks'money tree


Eco-Logical Cleaners' fashion tree


Coloma Lioness Club tree


Ornaments donated by 105-year-old Grace Kibler

Parking Lot Work Complete

The new museum parking lot is complete! 27 regular spaces and 1 handicap space are marked - double our former capacity in a much more accessible layout. Under the new lot city sewer hookups have been completed to the museum and Carter House. The flag pole was moved between the museum and Carter Barn. New landscaping and signage are planned for 2010 to compliment the new work and make the site more cohesive.


Parking Lot September 2010


Parking Lot November 2010



Front Sidewalk September 2010 - The decorative paver bricks, although attractive, were difficult to keep free of weeds during the summer and ice during the winter.



Front Sidewalk November 2010 - A new cement sidewalk and ramp make the entrace safer and cleaner year-round.

Gates receives Promising Leadership Award

(photo) Gates with Lin Nelson-Mayson, President of AMM

Alexander Gates, Director and Curator of the North Berrien Historical Museum received the Association of Midwest Museum’s Promising Leadership Award in Cleveland on October 7, 2010. The AMM Promising Leadership Award is given annually to individuals who have worked or volunteered for a museum or museum association for 10 years or less and provided exceptional service or shown outstanding commitment to the museum field.

Gates was given the award for his outstanding work at the North Berrien Historical Museum in Coloma, Michigan. Since he began in 2007 the organization has grown from a volunteer run organziation to a professional history museum with a staff of three. Gates has overseen new exhibits and programs as well as an active public relations and marketing campgain. Community support of the museum is most evident by the recent renewal of its operating millage in August 2010 despite the recent economic downturn.

For more information contact Alexander Gates, Director/Curator, at 269-468-3330

Holiday Open House 2010 - Coming Soon!

The North Berrien Historical Museum will host its annual Holiday Open House December 2-5, 2010. The museum will be open free for special hours from 10-4, Thursday through Saturday and 12-4 on Sunday.

The weekend begins with Senior Day on Thursday, December 2. Senior citizens are invited to tour the museum at a leisurely pace while enjoying complimentary drinks and live music by The Upbeats with Pete and Marge Mannino and Gordon Krell.



The evening of Friday, December 3 from 5-7pm will be the first ever Holiday Tasting Fundraiser. Admission is $5 at the door. A wide variety of traditional festive food and drink will be sampled throughout the museum complex while visitors enjoy our holiday trees in their full brilliance at night. Live music will be provided by Nocturne String Quartet and Serenata Strings.



Activities for children and families are the focus of Saturday and Sunday, December 4 & 5. Santa’s Workshop features free card and ornament making. Gingerbread house making will be available for a cost of $5 per house. Santa & Mrs. Claus will visit with children on Saturday from 2-4pm. Musical performances will take place throughout the day by members of the Coloma choirs and bands as well as the Bridgman choirs. Finally on Sunday, the Holiday Cookie Walk will take place from 12-4pm. For $5, visitors can fill a box with their favorite cookies to take home.



The museum will feature over 25 decorated Christmas trees and fine holiday décor. Visitors will be able to vote for their favorite tree that will win the People’s Choice Award. Many of the trees are decorated by local businesses and civic organizations. This years tree sponsors include: Edgewater Bank, Chemical Bank, the Marc Hettig Family, Mag’s Raggs, Community Hospital, North Berrien Food Pantry, Coloma Lioness Club, Honor Credit Union, The Friendly Tavern, Eco-Logical Cleaners, Four Seasons Pool & Spa, Jollay Orchards, 5/3 Bank, Reflections Salon, Paw Paw Lake Rotary, Michigan Agri Women, Mattson’s House of Décor and the Cottage of the Four Seasons.

Throughout the holiday season, the museum will collect “Toys for Tots” donations of new, unwrapped toys, and non-perishable food donations for the North Berrien Food Shelf.

Regular winter hours for the museum are Tuesday through Friday, 10am to 4pm. The museum is free and guided tours are available.

For more information contact Alexander Gates, Director/Curator, at 269-468-3330

Museum featured on new website showcasing cultural heritage survival stories

The North Berrien Historical Museum is featured in a new online resource intended to help communities across the nation promote their unique historic and cultural attractions. Produced by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, the online toolkit includes profiles of more than 80 communities achieving success despite the challenges posed by today’s economy.

“We’ve found that real-life stories like North Berrien Historical Museum are meaningful role models” says Amy Webb, director of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Heritage Tourism Program. “Cultural heritage tourism attractions want to hear from others in the trenches, facing similar challenges. These survival stories showcase how many communities are succeeding in the face of an economic downturn.”

This user-friendly web site allows visitors to search for stories by region of the country, type of attraction or organization, and/or the survival strategy or strategies that the story illustrates. The toolkit www.preservationnation.org/survival-toolkit was developed after hundreds of hours of outreach to national and state leaders in cultural and heritage tourism over the past year.

The North Berrien Historical was selected as a case study because of their successful local millage campaign in 2006 and subsequent renewal in 2010. “The National Trust for Historic Preservation has done a great job with their toolkit and we are glad to share our success story nationally,” say North Berrien Historical Museum Director Alexander Gates. “Local support is vital to cultural attractions and I hope others can learn from our example.”

New Museum Brochure

The North Berrien Historical Museum has published a new museum brochure. Copies are being delivered to Michigan Rest Areas, the Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council, local businesses, and other area attractions. The brochure was designed by Robin Maxon at Maxon Graphixs in St. Joseph.

Halloween Cemetery Tours will feature fascinating history and fun trivia

The North Berrien Historical Society invites the public to attend our Halloween Cemetery Tours on Saturday, October 23. On a stroll of beautiful, historic Coloma or Watervliet Cemetery, hear captivating stories about people from the past and answer fun Halloween trivia questions.


Who was the founder of Coloma? Who used to own the farm where Watervliet High School now sits? Who were our most well-known residents a century ago? These are just a few of the stories that will be told at the graves in the Coloma and Watervliet Cemeteries. The tours will also feature historic pictures to tell spooky tales of ghosts, criminals, UFOs, and other mysterious happenings from North Berrien history.

Coloma Cemetery Tour begins at 1:00pm and Watervliet Cemetery Tour begins at 3:00pm. Both tours are free of charge. The programs will go on in rain or shine, so guests should dress appropriately for the weather.

For more information contact Tracy Gierada, Director of Education, at (269) 468-3330.

Parking Lot Expansion Planned

Beginning October 2010 the North Berrien Historical Museum will be undergoing an extensive parking lot renovation project.



The project will consist of several stages. First trees will be removed from the corner of Coloma Ave. and Red Arrow Highway. This space will allow for additional parking spots for the museum and for spaces nearer to the Carter House. The old parking lot will be removed including the flag pole, front ramp on the museum, and the signage. The entire site will then be graded evenly to remove drop offs and drainage problems.



After the old parking lot is removed the museum and Carter House septic tanks will be removed and pipes will be laid to connect the buildings to the Coloma City sewer. Electric conduit will also be run under the parking lot for future additions of a lighted sign and parking lot lighting.



After the ground work is completed the new parking lot will be paved with an entrance on Coloma Ave. and another on Red Arrow Highway. Visitors will enjoy expanded parking, additional handicapped parking spots, and a more accessible museum entry.


The final stage of the project will include new landscaping in front of the museum and new signage for the site complex.

Speaker to discuss shipwreck of the Lady Elgin, October 17

Valerie van Heest will discuss the shipwreck of the Lady Elgin at the North Berrien Historical Museum on Tuesday, October 19 at 7pm.

On September 8, 1860 the Lady Elgin went down in Lake Michigan resulting in the deaths of more than 300 people. Now 150 years after the worst disaster on the open waters of Lake Michigan, Valerie Van Heest will revisit the dark stormy night when 400 excursionists on board the Lady Elgin were awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of a terrible crash.


Award winning author, shipwreck explorer and member of the Women Divers Hall of fame, Valerie has documented Great Lakes shipwrecks for over twenty years and her efforts led to an award from the Historical Society of Michigan for excellence in preserving and promoting State and local history.

This event is free and open to the public. The museum is open winters hours Tuesday through Friday 10-4. For more information contact Alexander Gates, Director/Curator, at 269-468-3330

Annual Dinner and Meeting

The North Berrien Historical Society held its 2010 Annual Dinner at the North Berrien Historical Museum on Tuesday, September 21. Following a dinner catered by County Kitchen Catering the annual business meeting was called to order by President Scott Young at 7pm.


The short business meeting included reading the minutes of the board of directors, electing board members, and approving the revised bylaws. Afterward Young gave an overview of the parking lot renovations and new sewer lines being connected to the museum. Hopefully before winter most of the work will be completed.


Young then turned the floor over the Director and Curator Alexander Gates. Gates reviewed attendance and donations for the year. Overall the museum remains in a strong position with a millage secured through 2014.


Director of Education, Tracy Gierada reviewed the various educational programs of the previous year including school tours, summer Time Travelers Programs, and off-site slide presentations.


After the meeting the speaker was introduced. Robert Myers, Curator at The History Center at Courthouse Square, gave a presentations on the history of trains in Berrien County. The program was enjoyed by the 70 members and guests present.

Locomotives Along the Lakeshore now available!

Locomotives Along the Lakeshore: Railroads of Berrien County, Michigan is now available for sale in the museum gift shop. These soft cover books are $23.95 plus tax. Author Robert Myers, curator at the History Center at Courthouse Square in Berrien Springs has put together a wonderful history of the local railroads.

North Berrien had a number of stations over the years including Riverside, Coloma, and Watervliet on the Pere Marquette line from Chicago to Detroit. Myers also includes the electric interurban trains that ran from St. Joseph to Coloma, Paw Paw Lake, and Watervliet via Millburg and Bainbridge Township. A great selection of photographs from collections including the North Berrien Historical Society's make the book a great gift for local historians and train enthusiasts.

Oxen Reunited

Often in the museum collection local residents appear multiple times, but it is rather unusual for a team of oxen. This team of oxen belonged to the Peirce Family who sawed rough lumber north of Methodist Church next to railroad tracks in Watervliet. These late 19th century photographs are reunited in the museum after the second photograph, which formerly hung in the 5/3 bank lobby, was donated to the museum.

Irish School Photographs

The North Berrien Historical Museum recently received copies of photographs from Irish School dating from the 1931-1932 school year. Ms. Elsie Kietzer was the teacher, but class lists and school records from this period are missing from our records. If you can help us identify any of these students please contact the museum at 269-468-3330.


The Irish School was located on Carmody Road and County Line Road being technically located in Hartford but taking in mostly North Berrien Students.


Younger students.


7th and 8th Grade