Cash Raffle to Benefit Museum

The North Berrien Historical Society is holding its second annual fundraising raffle this summer. Participants have three chances to win: 1st prize is $400, 2nd prize is $200, and 3rd prize is $100. The drawing will be held on Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at 7pm here at the North Berrien Historical Museum. Come for the drawing and stay for a talk on Commemorating the War of 1812 on the Great Lakes. You need not be present to win. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5. Get yours today at the North Berrien Historical Museum office, The Friendly Tavern, Cottage of the Four Seasons, the North Berrien Senior Center, or Chemical Bank in downtown Coloma.Tickets will also be available at the historical society's tent in Baker Park during the Glad-Peach Festival.

“Memoirs of an Ex-Nun” Author to speak in Coloma

On Tuesday, May 15, at 7:00pm, the North Berrien Historical Museum will host a presentation by author and Watervliet resident Patricia O’Donnell-Gibson, whose book The Red Skirt: Memoirs of an Ex-Nun was published in 2011.  In a talk titled “Writing The Red Skirt,” O’Donnell-Gibson will discuss her writing process, focusing on memories from a five-year period of her life, as well as ultimately publishing her memoirs as a book.  The program is free to attend and will be followed by refreshments.

Patricia O’Donnell-Gibson has also authored several published poems, and was a teacher of English and Literature until her retirement in 2002.  She is on the Author’s Committee for the Dogwood Fine Arts Festival in Dowagiac and advisor for the “Ladies of the Lake” Book Club on Paw Paw Lake.  According to the book’s website, The Red Skirt recounts “the five years she spent as an Adrian Dominican nun struggling to balance her desire for a secular life with her great fear of turning her back on God's call.”  Visit www.patriciaodonnellgibson.com to learn more about The Red Skirt, order the book, or see a list of local bookstores carrying the book.

The North Berrien Historical Museum is located at 300 Coloma Avenue, on Red Arrow Highway across from Coloma High School.  The museum is now open for summer hours through September, Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 4pm.  Admission is free.

2012 North Berrien Photography Contest invites submissions this summer

"Fire and Ice" by Donna Duffield - 2011 Winner

Throughout the summer of 2012, the North Berrien Photography Contest invites submissions of original photographs that capture the distinctive character and beauty of our area.  Eligible photos must depict a location within “North Berrien,” which is defined as Coloma and Watervliet cities and Hagar, Bainbridge, Coloma, and Watervliet townships in southwest Michigan.  The photo should be a striking representation of an aspect of North Berrien including, but not limited to, architecture, landscapes, nature, public buildings and events, and historic locations.  Winners will be selected from photographers in three age categories: Youth (age 17 and under), Adults (age 18-64), and Seniors (age 65+).  Photo Contest Winners and submissions earning Honorable Mention will appear in a Photo Contest Exhibit at the North Berrien Historical Museum throughout the month of September 2012.

The Official Entry Form and Rules for the 2012 North Berrien Photography Contest will be made available starting in mid May, and the final deadline for submissions will be in mid August.  The North Berrien Historical Society is proud to sponsor this second annual photo contest to support our mission to preserve local history and culture for future generations.  For more information, contact the North Berrien Historical Museum at (269) 468-3330 or info@northberrienhistory.org.   

"Angling Road Landmark" by Richard C. Lyon - 2011 Winner

Museum hosts free “Shipwreck Explorers” activity day during Spring Break

The annual Spring Break Activity Day at the North Berrien Historical Museum invites families and kids of all ages to experience the past with fun crafts, games, and demonstrations during the school break.  On Wednesday, April 4, 2012, the museum will hold a “Shipwreck Explorers” themed activity day, from 1:00 to 3:00pm.  The event is free and offers activities throughout the museum to complement our newest permanent exhibit “Shipwrecks of the Berrien County Coast.”

Participants at “Shipwreck Explorers” will receive a sailor hat, race toy sailboats, and make their own message in a bottle, imagining the dangers seen by ships on Lake Michigan.  In the new exhibit, all can complete a treasure hunt and view interactive video clips of shipwreck divers.  A member of the Michigan Underwater Diving Club will demonstrate diving equipment and describe the underwater sights to be seen in local waters.  To remember the importance of historic lighthouses in ship safety, participants will craft a light-up model of the St. Joseph Lighthouse to take home along with a map of Lake Michigan lighthouses.

The North Berrien Historical Museum is located at 300 Coloma Avenue, on Red Arrow Highway across from Coloma High School.  For more information on this program, contact the museum at (269) 468-3330 or visit our website at www.NorthBerrienHistory.org.

Local Links to the Titanic Disaster April 17

The North Berrien Historical Museum invites the public to a presentation on southwest Michigan connections to the Titanic this spring.  In April 1912 the massive and luxurious steamship RMS Titanic, during her maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, hit an iceberg and sank.  The disaster took the lives of 1,517 people while just 705 were rescued.  The focus of this slide show presentation in Coloma will be on the survivors and policy consequences of Titanic’s sinking that had significant ties to southwest Michigan.  “Local Links to the Titanic Disaster” will be held on Tuesday, April 17 at 7pm.  The program is free to attend and refreshments will follow.

Ruth Becker in 1912, a Titanic survivor who
later was a teacher in Berrien County for 20 years.

Titanic passengers to be discussed include the Becker family, a mother and three children bound for Benton Harbor.  Two parties on the ship were traveling to Dowagiac: the Bishops, a wealthy newlywed couple, and the Touma (Thomas) family, a mother with two children immigrating from Syria to join her husband here.  Senator William Alden Smith of Michigan, who led the U.S. investigation in to the tragedy, was a Dowagiac native.  The aftermath of the Titanic disaster also impacted ships on the Great Lakes by forcing new maritime laws about lifeboat capacity and wireless telegraphy.

This April 17 program will be presented by Tracy Gierada from the North Berrien Historical Museum and Jennifer Quail from the Museum at Southwestern Michigan College.  While at the North Berrien Historical Museum, visitors can also view the new exhibit “Shipwrecks of the Berrien County Coast.”  For more information, call the museum at (269) 468-3330 or visit our website www.NorthBerrienHistory.org.

LMC professor explains “Why the War of 1812 Matters” on March 20

The North Berrien Historical Museum invites the public to join us on March 20 for our monthly third-Tuesday program, when the featured speaker will be Dr. Chris Paine, Professor of History at Lake Michigan College.  Dr. Paine will present a program called “A Most Decisive Draw: Why the War of 1812 Matters.”  He will provide a general history of the War of 1812, emphasizing its often overlooked significance in the present-day.  Michigan Territory was the site of land and naval battles involving the U.S., Great Britain, and Native Americans, with lasting consequences for our state and nation.  The State of Michigan has even recognized the importance of the conflict with a special Commission to help commemorate the 200^th anniversary of the war.

“A Most Decisive Draw: Why the War of 1812 Matters” with Dr. Chris Paine will be held on Tuesday, March 20 at 7pm at the North Berrien Historical Museum.  The program is free and refreshments will follow.  The museum is located at 300 Coloma Avenue, on Red Arrow Highway across from Coloma High School.  For more information, contact the North Berrien Historical Museum at (269) 468-3330 or visit our website at www.NorthBerrienHistory.org.

Shipwrecks of the Berrien County Coast to Open in April 2012

The Joseph P. Farnan burned and sank in 1889.
 Drawing by Robert Doornbos, MSRA

A new permanent exhibit at the North Berrien Historical Museum explores the history of shipping and shipwreck discovery nearby in Lake Michigan. “Shipwrecks of the Berrien County Coast” focuses on over 40 ships that once carried people and goods to southwest Michigan, but were wrecked and now remain in the depths of local waters to this day. The exhibit examines the various cargos shipped, presents images and several salvaged artifacts from actual wrecks, and explains how underwater archaeology on shipwrecks can help people today discover unknown information about the past.

Berrien County developed with help from water-based transportation routes that linked it to Great Lakes ports. A study of the shipwrecks lost en-route to and from the region, and the cargos they carried, offers a glimpse of the region’s economic history. Although many of these vessels used the ports at St. Joseph- Benton Harbor in their travels, the exhibit also shows where historic piers once existed to aid in loading ships at numerous points along the coast.

The J. Barber with its load of peaches sank in 1871.
Image courtesy of C. Patrick Labadie Collection.

Most of the shipwrecks covered in the exhibit were lost in the mid to late nineteenth century, when commercial shipping in Lake Michigan was at its peak. On view are samples and pictures of the area’s most common ship cargo, which included fruit, grain, lumber, fish, raw materials, manufactured goods, and tourists, especially between here and Chicago. All this movement promoted the growth of trade and industry and thus the prosperity of southwest Michigan.

A few shipwreck artifacts have long been preserved in the North Berrien community. A historic ship’s bell will be featured in the exhibit, on loan from the First Congregational Church in Coloma. Traced back to the propeller steamer Montezuma built in Cleveland in 1848, the bell was salvaged from the ruined boat and donated to the church around 1860. In early 1895, the Carter family of Coloma was among those who saw debris strewn along the frozen beach between Benton Harbor and South Haven. The wreckage was undoubtedly from the Graham & Morton Company’s steamer Chicora, carrying flour from Milwaukee to St. Joseph when it was caught in a terrible blizzard. The Carter family kept a wooden stool from among the Chicora’s debris and used it at home for a century before donating it to the North Berrien Historical Museum, where it will now be a part of the new shipwrecks exhibit.

Sometimes local residents were even among those who tragically lost their lives when a ship foundered. Overloaded with a cargo of peaches in September 1868, the steamer Hippocampus capsized in a storm, killing twenty-six people including five crew men from Bainbridge Township. Overall, however, the lumbermen, farmers and shopkeepers of early Berrien County benefited greatly from their easy access to shipping on the Great Lakes.

Divers taking notes on a wreck.

“Shipwrecks of the Berrien County Coast” is guest curated by for Valerie van Heest of Holland, an historian and experienced shipwreck diver recognized in the Women Divers Hall of Fame. Van Heest is active in Lake Michigan wreck discovery as a co-founder of the non-profit Michigan Shipwreck Research Associates and is also a museum exhibit designer with the firm Lafferty van Heest. She has earned several State History Awards from the Historical Society of Michigan for her books and distinguished volunteer service in promoting the study of our state’s submerged maritime heritage.

The North Berrien Historical Museum invites the public to attend two programs related to the new exhibit. An opening reception on Thursday, April 12, from 5:30-7:30pm will feature refreshments and remarks by guest curator Valerie van Heest at 6:00pm. On Wednesday, April 4, from 1:00-3:00pm, the museum invites all ages, especially ages 6-12, to join us for “Shipwreck Explorers: Spring Break Activity Day” during the school break. At this fun and free program, kids will receive a sailor hat, do a “treasure hunt” in our new exhibit, race toy sailboats, and more. Take home crafts will include making your own “message in a bottle” and a light-up model of the St. Joseph Lighthouse.

Admission to the North Berrien Historical Museum is free. Open hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10am to 4pm through May 1. After May 1 the museum’s summer hours begin, Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 4pm. For more information please contact the North Berrien Historical Museum at (269) 468-3330 or visit our website at www.NorthBerrienHistory.org.

All ages invited to Victorian Valentines Party on February 11

The North Berrien Historical Museum invites the public to attend a Victorian Valentines Party on Saturday, February 11 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Bring along family and friends to celebrate Valentine’s Day with festive games, crafts and refreshments. All ages will enjoy being creative by making your own special valentine card to give away. Get inspiration from our collection of historic valentines spanning 100 years which will be on display.


There is a suggested donation of $3/person for admission. RSVP is appreciated; please call (269) 468-3330 or e-mail nbhs2@sbcglobal.net. The North Berrien Historical Museum is located on Red Arrow Highway, across the street from Coloma High School, at 300 Coloma Avenue. For more information contact the museum at (269) 468-3330.

Ice Age Imperials exhibit is the focus of January 17 presentation

The North Berrien Historical Museum invites the public to attend a presentation on the Ice Age Imperials exhibit currently open at the Heritage Museum and Cultural Center in St. Joseph. The program will be held at the North Berrien Historical Museum in Coloma. Heritage Museum Director Christina Hirn Arseneau and Frederick S. Upton Fellow Caitlyn Dial will present images and information describing this special exhibition and related programs.
Ice Age Imperials will be on display at The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center through September 1, 2012, recreating the Michigan of 12,000 years ago. The exhibit features life-size, authentic dioramas with prehistoric animals and Paleo-Indians. Visitors can touch real fossils from extinct animals like the sabertooth cat, woolly mammoth, giant beaver, and more. An activity area allows kids to “dig” for fossils and draw cave art. The exhibit also includes Ice Age fossils and artifacts found locally.

This free program at the North Berrien Historical Museum will be followed by refreshments. For more information, contact the museum at (269) 468-3330.

2011 Holiday Open House a Great Success

Dusky Turner (left) receives his award from Executive Director Alex Gates

 The seventh annual North Berrien Holiday Open House was a great success with over 1,000 visitors viewing our Christmas trees throughout the month of December. The popularity of gingerbread house decorating increased dramatically from 70 houses in 2010 to 240 houses in 2011. In addition, school groups from Coloma Elementary, Coloma Middle School, and Watervliet North Elementary toured the museum to view the Christmas trees. 

People's Choice Award - Cottage of the Four Seasons, Coloma

 Dusky Turner at the Cottage of the Four Seasons won the 2011 People’s Choice Award after our visitors' ballots were counted. Four Seasons Spa and Pool and Randy’s BP received honorable mentions.



Honorable Mention - Four Seasons Spa and Pool, Coloma

The other tree sponsors were Edgewater Bank, Chemical Bank, Lakeland Community Hospital Watervliet, North Berrien Food Pantry, Coloma Lioness Club, Honor Credit Union, The Friendly Tavern, Jollay Orchards, Paw Paw Lake Rotary Club, Michigan Agri Women, Mattson’s House of Décor, Water Street Glassworks, Captain Kirk’s Car Wash, Handmade Treasures, Freshwater Church, Edward Jones (Coloma and Benton Harbor offices), Mrs. Sieber’s 7th Grade Students, Faith Lutheran Church, Midwest Family Broadcasting, Krasl Art Center, Got Gold? Jewelers, and Lakeside Books.



Honorable Mention - Randy's BP, Coloma

Overflowing boxes were picked up by “Toys for Tots” and the North Berrien Food Pantry. Thank you for your generous donations.

Mark your calendar for our eighth annual Holiday Open House, November 30 – December 2, 2012.

Millburg Bank Robbery talk - February 21, 7pm

It was around 9:20am on Saturday, February 21, 1925 in the rural community of Millburg, Michigan, when a black Cadillac touring car with a group of young, well-dressed men in trench coats, pulled up to the State Bank of Millburg. Elizabeth Krietner and Ben Kral had just opened the bank when two men entered. One, armed with a revolver, jumped the cage and forced the two tellers into a back closet. The other hailed in two more men who looted the safe of $52,000 in bonds and $2900 in cash. While the actual robbery was over in a matter of minutes, the subsequent car chase, man hunt, and trial became one of the most dramatic crimes of the 1920s in Southwest Michigan.


The lock on the bank closet door was little to keep the cashiers restrained and they quickly notified the authorities. The Twin City “Hello Girls” went to work on the switchboards alerting police throughout the region of the fleeing bandits. Within thirty minutes roads across Berrien County were under guard as a posse armed with sawed-off shotguns and high powered rifles was organized. The robbers sped away from the scene at top speed heading first toward Benton Harbor before turning south heading toward the Indiana Stateline on icy rural roads.

A blockade was erected in the village of Galien by Deputy Sheriff Con Allen, and former Deputy Sheriff Floyd Lintner. The car stopped and the five bandits jumped out of the car as Lintner and Allen ordered them surrender. A gun battle ensued leaving Lintner shot in the right heel, severing a tendon. The bandit car then pulled onto a dirt side road and escaped toward Three Oaks and then over the state line into New Carlisle. Then at the farm of Jed Drollinger, seven miles southwest of New Carlisle, the bandits stopped to ask directions when New Carlisle Constable Elias Ackley and farmer Oscar Smith caught up to the bandits. Ackley began to question the men, but Smith did not hesitate to fire several rounds with a sawed off shotgun into the car. Four of the men abandoned their car and ran for the barn where they hid themselves in the barn and outbuildings. At this time the South Bend Police showed up to the scene and the outgunned men were rounded up.

Berrien County Sheriff Franz called them “the most desperate men ever jailed here,” for their willingness to shoot their way to freedom. The men were held under $100k bonds each and charged with Bank Robbery. The five men arrested were John Marshall, 26; Frank King, 31; James Long, 40; James Allison, 30; and Edward Summers, 25. They are all know by several aliases and were suspected in other bank robberies throughout Michigan. Sheriff Franz became so worried about the five gangsters having powerful criminal allies he purchased Berrien County’s first machine gun to guard the inmates.

The trial was moved to Kalamazoo in exchange for trying all five men together. At 5am on May 11 the defendants were shackled together in heavy steel cuffs and transferred to Kalamazoo County Jail. The trial was short with the only defense being that the men were bootleggers caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Convicted on May 16, 1925 as the jury was out but for a half an hour returning at 1:30pm with the verdict. A half hour after their conviction they were sentenced. All five were sent to Marquette prison. The court read this statement from Judge Weimer, “These men are potential murderers. From the time they left Millburg until the hour of their capture they did not hesitate to shoot at any or all persons who attempted to stop him. We do not hesitate in removing any person who has become a source of danger to peaceful citizens.”

While the stolen bonds were recovered from the Drollinger the majority of the cash remained unaccounted for. The mystery of the missing money was solved in 1929 when James Kane was arrested and convicted as being the sixth Millburg bandit who had escaped during the chase. Kane was also sentenced to life in prison.

Join us on Tuesday, February 21 at 7pm as Executive Director Alex Gates presents an in-depth look at this infamous crime.

Free Winter Break kids activity day

The North Berrien Historical Museum will host a free educational program for children during the final week of 2011. “Winter Time Travelers: Let it Snow!” is an interactive afternoon of games, crafts, and music at the museum. Have fun while exploring historic artifacts from winters of the past. Make your own model sleigh and sleigh bells and see the history behind the songs “Jingle Bells” and “Sleigh Ride”! Win a prize playing Snow Belt Bingo, and pretend to be an ice harvester on Paw Paw Lake a hundred years ago. Designed for ages 6-12; family members are welcome but not required to attend. This event is free but please RSVP to the museum at (269) 468-3330.

‘Winter Time Travelers: Let it Snow!’ will be held on Thursday, December 29, from 1:00 to 2:30pm. Only in case of a weather emergency, the program would be rescheduled for December 30, 1:00 to 2:30pm. Please call the museum to confirm. For more information about this program or to RSVP, contact the museum at (269) 468-3330 or info@northberrienhistory.org.

You're Invited! 7th Annual Holiday Open House, Dec 1-4, 2011



Oh Deer! The Cottage of the Four Seasons once again impresses us with their wonderful tree in 2011.



The North Berrien Historical Museum will host its seventh annual Holiday Open House December 1-4

The weekend begins with the Holiday Lights & Music Gala on December 1 from 6-8pm. Visitors can enjoy our holiday trees in their full brilliance at night with luminaries lighting the way between buildings. The evening will feature festive treats and musical performances by Becky and Les Burford, and Carl Payne. Tickets are $12 in advance at the museum office and $15 at the door.

The theme of Friday, December 2 is Senor Day. Senior citizens are invited to tour the museum at a leisurely pace while enjoying complimentary warm drinks and live music by Gordon Krell at 1pm, and The Upbeats with Pete and Marge Mannino at 2pm. Gingerbread House decorating will also be available.

A bear and bull adorn the Edward Jones tree.

Activities for children and families are the focus of Saturday and Sunday, December 3 & 4. 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 1-3pm. 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. Musical performances will take place throughout the day with a Violin Duet at noon, the Coloma choirs at 1pm and the St. Joseph Catholic Church Choir at 3pm.

Randy's BP features a theme of Hometown Heroes.

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, Lakeland Community Hospital Watervliet, North Berrien Food Pantry, Coloma Lioness Club, Honor Credit Union, The Friendly Tavern, Four Seasons Spa & Pool, Jollay Orchards, Paw Paw Lake Rotary Club, Michigan Agri Women, Mattson’s House of Décor, the Cottage of the Four Seasons, Water Street Glassworks, Captain Kirk’s Car Wash, Randy’s BP, Handmade Treasures, Freshwater Church, Edward Jones, Coloma Schools, Faith Lutheran Church, Midwest Family Broadcasting, Krasl Art Center, Got Gold? Jewelers, and Lakeside Books.

It's a winter wonderland at the 7th Annual Holiday Open House.

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 Pantry.

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

2012 Youth Internship applications available now

Students currently in grades 7-12 are invited to apply for a Youth Internship at the North Berrien Historical Museum in Coloma, Michigan. Youth Interns are trained to volunteer for the museum and will contribute to real projects that support our mission to preserve and promote local history. To obtain a schedule and Application for the 2012 Youth Internship program, please stop by the museum or download from Scribd.com.The museum will hold a brief informational meeting on Monday, December 19, 2011, at 6pm for all interested students and family. Applications must be postmarked or hand-delivered to the museum no later than Wednesday, January 11, 2012.

The Youth Internship is a commitment to volunteer time every other week from late January – May 2012, in which students will get to know the museum and practice new skills. Participants will work with the museum’s professional staff to understand more about Coloma-Watervliet area history, preservation of artifacts, and how we serve the public. Youth Interns will also learn more about career possibilities in museums, history and culture.

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

2011 North Berrien Holiday Open House is December 1-4



Over 25 trees will adorn the North Berrien Historical Museum at our annual Holiday Open House, decorated by local businesses and organizations. All ages can enjoy voting for their favorite tree, card and ornament making, gingerbread house decorating, and performances by local musicians! This year’s fundraising Holiday Lights & Music Gala is a chance to visit in evening when our trees shine the brightest, plus great refreshments and live music.

 

Mattson's House of Decor, 2010

Thursday, December 1: Holiday Lights & Music Gala, 6pm to 8pm.

Enjoy seasonal treats while viewing our 25 trees in their full brilliance at night. Becky and Les Burford will perform on mountain dulcimer, guitar, and ukulele at 6pm. At 7pm, Carl Payne will play holiday favorites on guitar and harp. Admission is $12 in advance, $15 at the door.

Jollay Orchards, 2010

 Friday, December 2: Open 10am to 4pm, Free Admission
Gingerbread House Decorating: All day, $5 per house.

Senior Day: 1pm to 4pm. Senior citizens are especially invited to tour the museum & enjoy refreshments. Music courtesy of Gordon Krell and The Upbeats with Pete & Marge Mannino.





Four Seasons Pool & Spa, 2010





Saturday, December 3: Open 10am to 4pm, Free Admission

Santa’s Workshop: All day, make an ornament and card as a special gift. Free/Donation.

Gingerbread House Decorating: All day, $5 per house.

Visit with Santa & Mrs. Claus: 1pm to 3pm

Music courtesy of Mountain Dulcimer Quartet (10am–Noon).



Gingerbread House Decorating

Sunday, December 4: Open Noon to 4pm, Free Admission

Santa’s Workshop: All day, make an ornament and card as a special gift. Free/Donation.

Gingerbread House Decorating: All day, $5 per house.

Holiday Cookie Walk: All day, Choose your holiday cookies for $5 per box.

Music courtesy of Coloma Choirs (1-2:30pm) and St. Joseph Catholic Church Choir (3-3:30pm).

Cookie Walk

Throughout the North Berrien Holiday Open House:

* Non-perishable goods will be collected for North Berrien Food Pantry.

* New, unwrapped toys can be donated in our Toys for Tots collection box.

North Berrien Historical Society receives State History Award

On September 23, 2011 the North Berrien Historical Society received a State History Award from the Historical Society of Michigan in the category of Special Event/Program for Women in Baseball. Executive Director Alexander Gates was present at the Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City to receive the award during the State Awards Banquet.

The award went to the North Berrien Historical Society for its exceptional program, “Women in Baseball.” The project celebrated Maud Nelson, a renowned baseball player in the early 1900s. Nelson was the first female baseball player in the United States to be commemorated by her community, Watervliet. As a player, coach, and team owner, Maud remained active into the 1930s. Building on this background, the society planned a series of summer events, including a tournament for girls’ teams, a civic festival, and a museum exhibit. The tournament drew teams from out-of-state, and fans came from as far away as the eastern United States.

Women in Baseball will remain on view at the North Berrien Historical Museum in Coloma, Michigan through Novemeber 11, 2011. For more information please visit http://www.northberrienhistory.org/.

For more information on the State History Awards and to view other recipients visit the Historical Society of Michigan's website.

Author Barbara Gregorich to Speak at Annual Dinner October 18

The North Berrien Historical Society will hold its Annual Dinner on Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at the North Berrien Historical Museum. Dinner will be served at 6pm with a business meeting at 7pm. Following Society business, guest speaker Barbara Gregorich will speak on "The Hunt for Maud Nelson" at 7:30pm.

Barbara Gregorich

Chicago-based author Barbara Gregorich specializes in children’s books, but a lifelong passion for baseball has also influenced her work.  In the early 1990s she began to intensively document the lives of early female baseball players, including Maud Nelson. Her research resulted in the 1993 book Women at Play: The Story of Women in Baseball. Gregorich has said of this work: “...uncovering the story took four full years — years in which my eyes blurred from reading microfilm, my car’s tires grew smooth from hauling me to libraries around the country, and my fingers frayed from dialing strangers… Despite everything, it was the most thrilling research experience I’ve ever had.”  As our featured guest, Gregorich will present “The Hunt for Maud Nelson,” a summary of her research and publication efforts.  Thanks to Gregorich’s work, the North Berrien Historical Society was able to produce our recent exhibit Women in Baseball, telling the story of Maud Nelson, her barnstorming Western Bloomer Girls, and her life in Watervliet a century ago.

Women at Play (1993)

Tickets for the Annual Dinner are $15 per person and reservations are required. Barbara Gregorich's talk is free and open to the public after dinner. For more information please call the North Berrien Historical Museum at 269-468-3330.

Museum hosts panel of All-American Girls professional baseball players

The North Berrien Historical Museum invites the public to join us in welcoming a group of former players from the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). From 1943-54 the All-American Girls League traveled women’s baseball teams throughout the Midwest, and was highlighted in the 1993 movie A League of Their Own. Four former players from Michigan will join us for a panel discussion at the museum on Tuesday, September 20 at 7:00pm.

A 10-minute DVD will be shown featuring historic footage of the AAGPBL, then the league veterans will each present a brief personal account of their experiences. Three former players for the Grand Rapids Chicks will attend including Dolly Niemiec Konwinski, Marilyn Jenkins, and Rosemary Stevenson. The fourth panelist Doris Cook played for the Springfield Sallies and the Kalamazoo Lassies before being loaned to the South Bend Blue Sox. There is no charge to attend the panel discussion, and refreshments will follow.

The current exhibit Women in Baseball: Bloomer Girls of Berrien County & Beyond will be on display through November 11. For more information, contact the North Berrien Historical Museum at (269) 468-3330.

The Girl in Centerfield to be screened at the Loma Theatre

On Tuesday, August 16 at 7pm the North Berrien Historical Museum will be screening the recent documentary, The Girl in Centerfield, at the Loma Theatre in downtown Coloma. The Girl in Centerfield, a feature-length true story produced by Detroit-based Stunt3 Multimedia, is the story of Carolyn King’s fight to play Little League baseball. Using interviews, stock footage, and re-creation, Stunt3 has weaved together the drama of the summer of 1973 when the nation watched as the city of Ypsilanti went head-to-head with Williamsport, Pennsylvania and the institution of Little League Baseball. Producer Brian Krueger will be on hand after the movie for a question and answer session.

In May of 1973, 12-year-old Carolyn King was simply looking to play baseball when she tried out for a spot in the Ypsilanti American Little League. She went to the tryouts with her younger brother, and impressed the coaches with her strong throwing arm and her speed. The coach of the Orioles was looking for a center fielder, and he thought that Carolyn might fit the bill, so he drafted her.

One problem: In 1951, the National Little League organization in Williamsport, Pa., had enacted a rule that specifically said girls were not eligible to play. National officials felt the sport of baseball was too dangerous for girls, so they decided to restrict their leagues to boys. That set up a summer of controversy and showdowns in Ypsilanti that made national headlines in 1973, and landed the story on the evening news.

The National Little League threatened to pull the local league’s charter if Carolyn played, but the City of Ypsilanti said that if she didn’t play, the league couldn’t use the city’s fields. When she suited up for the Orioles in their first game – making history in the process – the National Little League followed through on its threat to pull the local league’s charter.

With this small Michigan town strongly divided over Carolyn’s participation, the case headed to federal court. In the middle of it all was a 12-year-old in pigtails who simply wanted to play baseball. Carolyn’s case and the national uproar it caused prompted National Little League officials to drop their boys-only rule. In 1974, thanks to Carolyn King, girls became eligible to play Little League baseball.

The documentary compliments the exhibit “Women in Baseball: Bloomer Girls of Berrien County and Beyond” currently on view at the North Berrien Historical Museum. The exhibit discusses why after more than 150 years as ‘America’s pastime,’ baseball remains a predominately male sport, despite the fact that women have played the game since its invention in the mid-19th century.

Admission to Women in Baseball and all programs is free of charge.

For more information call Executive Director Alexander Gates at 269-468-3330 or visit www.northberrienhistory.org.

Preview the movie at www.TheGirlinCenterfield.com

North Berrien Photography Contest invites submissions for September exhibit

This summer the North Berrien Photography Contest invites submissions of original photographs that capture the distinctive character of our area. Eligible photographs must depict a location in North Berrien County, which includes Coloma and Watervliet cities and Hagar, Bainbridge, Coloma, and Watervliet townships. Photos should represent an aspect of North Berrien, including, but not limited to, architecture, landscapes, nature, public buildings and events, and historic locations. Submissions will be judged based on technical excellence, composition, and overall impact of the image. Winners will be selected from three age groups: Youth (Age 17 and under), Adults (18-64), and Seniors (Age 65+). Winning photographs and honorable mentions will appear in a public exhibit at the North Berrien Historical Museum, to premiere during the Tri-City Heritage Tour on Saturday, September 24, 2011.

The Photography Contest is sponsored by the North Berrien Historical Society—our goal is to add contest submissions to our collection, advancing our mission to preserve local history and culture for future generations. To obtain an Official Entry Form and Rules, contact or visit the North Berrien Historical Museum, see our Facebook page, or click here. The final deadline to postmark or hand-deliver submissions to the museum is Tuesday, September 6, 2011. Complete submissions will include the Entry Form, a brief photograph description, and the photo entry printed on 8 by 10 inch photo paper. For more information about the North Berrien Photography Contest or to request an Official Entry Form and Rules, contact the North Berrien Historical Museum at (269) 468-3330.

Click here to download an Offical Entry Form and Rules for the North Berrien Photography Contest.