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8/8/2019 Fall 2009 Newsletter - North Berrien Historical Society
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The permanent collection of the North Berrien
Historical Society preserves the human record of the
North Berrien area. For more than 43 years the
NBHS has gathered and protected artifacts, docu-
ments, and books that are crucial to
teaching future generations about
the past. While many individual
stories can be illustrated with collec-
tions pieces, when brought together
they show a rich, interconnected re-
gional history.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 ob-
jects and photographs from count-
less donors can shape our local
identity by offering fascinating win-
dows into years gone by. Some for-gotten 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 Diggins back in 1834, NBHS is
offering a fresh look at the objects and stories in our
permanent collection. The following are a few selec
tions 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 foot-ball rivalry, the story of young Emil
Hingst was revived through objects
and photographs in the collection. His framed por-
trait was recently donated to the museum by Bob
(Continued on page 4)
New Exhibition Opens October 8175 Years: Objects & Stories from the Permanent Collection
NORTH BERRIEN HISTORICAL SOCIETY
NEWSLETTER
Vol. I, No. 3 Hagar Bainbridge Coloma Watervliet Fall 2009
300 Coloma Ave./ P.O. Box 207, Coloma, Michigan 49038 www.NorthBerrienHistory.org
Above: Methodist HymnalsBelow: Inscription on one inside cover
8/8/2019 Fall 2009 Newsletter - North Berrien Historical Society
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North Berrien Historical SocietyBoard of Directors
Scott Young PresidentBennet Leedy 1st Vice PresidentKandyce Hays 2nd Vice PresidentCindy Young SecretaryShirley Boone TreasurerRay Mays Assistant TreasurerKarin Miller DirectorPauline Morris Director
Sherry Polashak DirectorSally Williams Director
Staff
Alexander Gates Director / CuratorTracy Gierada Director of EducationGwen Elsner Office Manager
300 Coloma Ave., P.O. Box 207
Coloma, MI 49038
Phone: (269) 468-3330
Fax: (269) 468-4083
www.NorthBerrienHistory.org
The mission of the North BerrienHistorical Society is to preserve anddistribute information regarding the
history of North Berrien County. Wewish to promote, encourage learning,
and disseminate knowledge of theareas cultural and architectural legacy.
Page 2
From the Directors DeskBy Alexander Gates
Another fiscal year has come to completion
and much has been accomplished. With 4,600 visitors
served this past year our attendance grew sixty percent
since 2008. New exhibits, school programs, and spe-cial events have brought in new audiences of all ages
from near and far. Historical celebrations including
the Lincoln Bicentennial, 100th Coloma-Watervliet
Football Game, and the 175th Birthday of Coloma all
contributed to historic awareness in the community.
An exciting year is planned for 2009-2010
with new exhibits and expanded programming. 175
Years: Objects & Stories from the Permanent Collec-
tion will open in October featuring a wide array of lo-
cal history stories. Then from April 1 - May 15, 2010
our latest traveling exhibit, The Life Atomic: Growing
Up in the Shadow of the A-Bomb, will be on view.
One highlight will be a life-size family fallout shelter
built in the museum gallery!
More improvements to the museum facilities
are planned including new lighting in the main gallery
and collections shelving in the Beverly Barn to im-
prove storage conditions for our objects.
Our millage renewal referendum is now less
than a year away with the election scheduled for Tues-
day, August 3, 2010. Remember that we could notoperate without the support of the entire community
through our millage. This stable funding allows us to
plan ahead and bring in top quality traveling exhibits
and programs as well as continued physical improve-
ments to the museum and improved collections care.
Finally, thank you to all of our members and
volunteers who make the museum a great success.
Please continue to get the word out about our work.
NBHS Board of Directors
seeks new membersDo you love being a part of your North Berrien
community? Are you looking for a new way to make
a positive impact? Please consider applying for a po-
sition on the North Berrien Historical Society Board of
Directors. This is an exciting time for NBHS and we
are looking for fresh ideas and enthusiasm. Contact
President Scott Young at 925-1660 to learn more
about this special opportunity.
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Page 4
(continued from page 1)
Myers of Stevensville to accompany Hingsts 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 whichHingst 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 Wa-
tervliet on November 11, 1918,
Hingst drove to Benton Harbor in an
open-top automobile and fell ill soonafter. Emil Hingst died of influenza in Coloma
Township on December 3 at the age of 19. The frame
holding Hingsts image is typical those available dur-
ing 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 misidenti-
fied 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 wars end.
Not all objects at the North Ber-
rien Historical Museum are exception-
ally old. Some pieces have been added
to our collection to represent more cur-
rent 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 wil
be an interactive display featuring
images of vanished places in North
Berrien. These include the SymsMansion in Watervliet, the Waterv-
liet Paper Mill, Jacobia, and the In-
terurban Railroad. Visitors will look
at a map and attempt to guess which
building used to stand in which loca-
tion. 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 exhi-
bition 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 museums diverse holdings of clothing,
accessories, and home furnishings. Over 500 textile
pieces are in the collection, so the display will be ro-
tated 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 north-
west corner of the museum. Please join us for re-
freshments and good company at our Opening Recep-
tion on Thursday, October 8 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm.
By Alexander Gates, Curator
Emil Hingst Framed PortraitNBHS 2009.36.01
Left: Water ski owned by
Monte Sternaman of Coloma
NBHS 2009.40.01
Giudice Ice Cream Parlor
coin, NBHS 2009.16.01
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Page 5
Cold War and The Life Atomic will be featured in 2010
The spring of 2010 will feature an exciting
new traveling exhibition and program series at theNorth Berrien Historical Museum. The Life Atomic:
Growing Up in the Shadow of the A-Bomb was pro-
duced by the Rogers Historical Museum in Rogers,
Arkansas and funded by a Museums for America
grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Ser-
vices. It will be on display in Co-
loma from April 1 - May 15, 2010.
This traveling exhibit focuses
on the impact of the atomic bomb on
American popular culture in the1950s and 60s. Panels with images
and text, hands-on props, and a re-
created portion of a family fallout
shelter will teach visitors about the
development of the bomb and life at
the height of the Cold War. Local
artifacts will be added to the display,
and visitors will be encouraged to
submit their own memories of how the bomb became
a factor in their daily lives.In addition to a keynote lecture, film screen-
ings, and a Spring Break kids program, special tours
for school groups and adults will be offered during the
exhibit. Group activities will encourage students to
think critically about the Cold Wars influence on so-
ciety, government, and popular cul-
ture in the United States.
The Life Atomic is intended as
a vehicle for intergenerational discus-
sion about the threats faced byAmericans in the early atomic age
and the threats that face our nation
today. The North Berrien Historical
Museum invites community input as
we search for local artifacts, docu-
ments, and photographs relating to
nuclear weaponry and nuclear power
in southwest Michigan.
In the schools, duck and cover drills
trained students to react to an atomic
attack by crawling under their desks
and covering their heads with their
arms. Courtesy ofThe Detroit News.
Regional players have taken active roles in
advocating for history and historic preservation in our
area. NBHS took part in the first ever Michiana Re-
gional History Day on June 27, 2009 in Buchanan,
MI. Sponsored by the Buchanan Preservation Society
and Downtown Development Agency, the event fea-
tured seventeen organizations interested in history,
preservation, archaeology, genealogy, cemeteries and
more. The goals were to promote heritage travel, at-
tract potential volunteers, and create or strengthen ties
between local history groups.
On July 7 in St. Joseph, the Southwestern
Michigan Tourist Council hosted a free workshop
with the State Historic Preservation Office to reviewthe tax incentives available for the restoration and re-
use of historic properties. The benefits to local
economies through downtown revitalization and tour-
ism were also emphasized. One major step discussed
for regional heritage tourism is the West Michigan
Pike project, for which federal and state funds have
been appropriated to create a state-designated Heri-
tage Route. Call or e-mail Tracy at NBHS for infor-
mation about historic preservation tax credits and for
access to other resources.
The Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy is
a non-profit organization that has worked since 1991
to permanently protect natural, historic and scenic
landscapes to ensure the health and quality of life for
the people of southwest Michigan. Through the work
of volunteers and a professional staff, the SWMLC is
dedicated to preserving natural areas, historic sites,
and open spaces through gifts, purchases or conserva-
tion easements, and to promoting education, research,outdoor recreation, nature study, and ecologically-
sound land use practices. On Tuesday, November 17
at 7pm, the North Berrien Historical Museum will
welcome Land Protection Specialist Geoffrey Cripe to
share more about the work of the SWMLC.
Historic Preservation takes many forms in southwest Michigan
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Page 6
The Summer Time Travelers kids programs
introduced at the museum in June, July, and August
2009 were a great success. At each program, kids
ages 5-12 and families were in-
vited to take a trip to the past andexperience life in years gone by.
A unique theme tied together ac-
tivities throughout the museum,
providing kids with a hands-on,
interactive and fun tour through
time. Advance registration was
required but the programs were
free of charge to all participants.
The Time Travelers theme
on June 24 was Music. We discovered the impor-tance of drumming to the Potawatomi, and we ex-
plored an array of historic instru-
ments from the NBHS collection.
The Citadel Dancers performed
jazz and tap routines and we
learned about and listened to fa-
mous musicians like Louis Arm-
strong and Guy Lombardo who
played at Paw Paw Lake in the
resort era. After looking at a
gramophone, record player, 8-
track, cassette, and CD, kids made
a candy i-Pod to remind them of the huge leaps in
technology that have shaped music today. We also
practiced the Star Spangled Ban-
ner and everyone went home with
a small American flag, just in
time for the 4th of July.
On July 15 the Time Trav-
elers theme was Travel. Boat
Bingo was a fun way to look at
sailboats, steamers, shipwrecks,
lighthouses, and other water
travel images from our local his-
tory. NBHS photographs of the
interurban, the railroad, and artifacts like sleighs, car-
riages, and cars helped us cover the many modes of
travel from the past. Working model trains were on
loan from J&W Model Trains in Coloma and from
Sally Williams. Kids made a model birch bark canoe
and a model airplane to take home. Just after we saw
a slideshow of the major mile-
stones in U.S. space travel, amodel rocket was launched cour-
tesy of Bobs Hobby & Collec-
tors Shop in Watervliet.
Food was the theme for
August 12, when our Time Travel-
ers played many games to explore
the history of cooking and eating.
Items from the NBHS collection
that we enjoyed learning from in-
cluded the ancient stone mortar and pestle, butterchurns, a bee smoker, a wooden icebox, and a porce-
lain chamber pot. Many food
samples were tried throughout the
program, like fresh basil, mint tea,
fresh churned butter, orange cake,
pickled vegetables, salt pork,
smoked whitefish, and beef jerky.
The kids also received a coloring
cookbook with historic recipes to
take home.
Learning and fun were the
two major goals of Summer Time
Travelers, aiming to inspire a lifelong interest in his-
tory and in historical museums. The North Berrien
Historical Museum was able to
offer these exciting programs for
free because of the generous con-
tributions of local business own-
ers and volunteers, including
Mike Pirri, Elaine Gierada, Bob
Taylor, John Piehl, Kathleen Wal-
ter, Sherry Polashak, Marc Hettig,
Marie Sineni, Alice Mow, Mau-
reen Saltzman, Sally Williams,
Scott Young, and Shirley Boone.
With many ideas in mind for the future, we hope to
continue Summer Time Travelers as an annual tradi-
tion of learning and fun at the museum.
Summer Time Travelers meets goals: learning and fun
Rocket launch on July 15
Fruit game on August 12
Musical chairs on June 24
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Page 7
New Members
Charlene Andrews - Portage
Mark Baldwin - Watervliet
Jean Daniels - Riverside
Ed Fields - Hartford
Jean Chandler - Coloma
DonationsGeorge Urch in memory of his father, George Urch
Charlene AndrewsMark Baldwin
Alma Arent
To help us attain excellence in operations and
planning, the North Berrien Historical Society is cur-
rently participating in the Museum As-
sessment Program through the Ameri-
can Association of Museums. The
process began in 2008, when a team of
board members and staff began meet-
ing to complete a Self-Study Workbook. In Septem-
ber 2009, our Surveyor, an experienced museum pro-
fessional, will make a two-day site visit to the mu-
seum. The Surveyor will prepare a report of conclu-
sions and recommendations to assist us in identifying
and prioritizing our needs for improvement.The assessment is designed to provide an over-
view of the management and operations of the mu-
seum benchmarked against best practices in the indus-
try. With this information, the NBHS Board of Direc-
tors will have a blueprint for writing a Strategic Plan
to guide the organization in its long-term planning.
Over 5,000 museums have participated in the Museum
Assessment Program since it began in 1981.
Museum Assessment Program
helps NBHS look to the future
The North Berrien Historical Society has been
honored to receive many donations in memory of two
local citizens who recently passed away.
In Memory of Marion Leedy
Pat Snow Patricia Conway
Paul Soderburg, Jr. Dolores Krenek
Louise Dilts Roger Miller
Sally Williams Gordon Banasik
Carole Sternaman Fred Munchow
Mary Alyce Hettig
In Memory of Victor Grahn
Kenneth Nelson Maureen Saltzman
Roseann Clements Sue Patzer
Patricia Conway
Thank you to memorial donors
Individual ($15)
I would like to
volunteer for NBHS
Additional tax-deductible contribution: $________
Name
Address
City, State, ZIP
Phone
New Member
Returning Member
Total Amount Enclosed: $________
Send your completed form along with your check to:
North Berrien Historical SocietyP.O. Box 207, Coloma, MI 49038
Family ($50)
Student ($8)
Senior ($10)
North Berrien Historical SocietyMembership Form
Thank you for your support!
Please check desired annual membership level.
8/8/2019 Fall 2009 Newsletter - North Berrien Historical Society
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New Exhibit Coming Soon
175 Years: Objects & Stories from
the Permanent Collection
Opening Reception - October 8, 5:30 - 7:30pm
Hagar Bainbridge Coloma Watervliet www.NorthBerrienHistory.or
P.O. Box 207, Coloma, MI 49038
NONPROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Watervliet, MI
Permit No. 29
Newsletter - Fall 2009
SummerFun
at the North Berrien Historical Museum
Above: Summer Time Travelers
Activities
Left: Coloma Migrant Program
Museum Tour
Above Left: New Museum Sign
Above Right: Cone Barn, New NBHS
Cut-out board at Glad-Peach Festival