Charlevoix Historical Society - Charlevoix, Michigan

Hotels in Charlevoix Program

The history of Charlevoix, long the focal point of one of the premier resort destination areas in the Midwest, is the history of its hotels. From the day in 1867 when Richard Cooper established his tiny Fountain City House on the north bank of the channel near the bridge, visitors have come to Charlevoix by the hundreds of thousands from all over the world and taken away glowing accounts of what they found here. The hospitality industry both supported and caused this growth, until just after the turn of the century the town was able to house not hundreds but thousands each night in hotels the equal of any to be found in any resort community.

Join us as your editor presents an illustrated program on this glorious history, stories both humorous and disturbing that many of the hotels had to offer, the tragedies, spectacular fires, noted names who have visited Charlevoix, why we have East Park, the many personalities involved, where and when the Detroit Lions were housed, what happened to the world’s #1 rock and roll group in 1983, and much more.

When: Tuesday, May 5 @ 7:00 P. M.

Where: The Depot

Light refreshments will be served. Donations in support of the Society’s programs, events and exhibitions will be appreciated.

MUSEUM HOURS FOR LATE SPRING

The Harsha House Museum will be open in May and June five days a week (Tuesday—Saturday, 1-4 P.M.). The side office door will also be open from 11 A. M. to 1 P.M. Tuesday - Saturday for those who might need to conduct Society business or make a purchase from the museum store during off hours.

NEW EARL YOUNG BOOK

Last year, summer visitor Mike Barton of Boulder, CO published a full color book on Charlevoix that contained a few pages on the Earl Young buildings. This year, the Harsha House has just received a shipment of his second book, an 84-page, full color treatment of “The Mushroom Houses of Charlevoix,” a delightful overview of both Earl’s and his daughter Virginia’s work that fills a longtime need for those as fascinated by our famous stone structures as Mike is. The foreword to the book is by your editor, with a commentary page by Mushroom House owner Jeannine Wallace. The book retails for $19.95 plus tax, total $21.15. Mailing is $3.50 for one book, with various fees for multiple copies.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Members: Have you taken a few moments to contribute to the Society lately? Have you been to one of our highly informative meetings? Have you responded to a call for volunteers? Have you made a cash donation? Have you served on the Board of Directors and Officers, or on a committee? If you can reply in the affirmative to any of the above, WE THANK YOU!! If your response was in the other direction, how about making a correction?

Now is the time when the Society is surveying its finances in the perspective of a year of costs for personnel, preservation and restoration, utilities, routine maintenance of two buildings (one a National Historic Site), and other basic expenses. With no emergencies, the Society needs around $80,000 annually to stay solvent. Blessings on our Patrons, Ralph Hamilton Society members, and all those who have done their financial best to keep us going so we’ve been enabled to come so far. Without you we simply could not be or do. If you are not a member of any of these groups, you can change that status! It’s really very easy!

And if you can’t make a cash kind of helping, how about offering your time and talent as a Board or committee member? As the days grow milder, we realize that an annual election of officers is just around the corner (July). Could you step up to either a Board or committee position? WE NEED YOU!!

While we’re on the subject, there are two major chores to be done this spring. The first is to do a thorough spring housecleaning of the Depot. The windows, floors, kitchen, cabinets, and cubbyholes and all other surfaces have a layer of winter and construction dust badly in need of some good elbow grease. A date will be set, probably in May.

The other chore is even bigger. We will consolidate and be moving all our stored treasures from two smaller storage units into one larger unit, sorting and arranging as we go. This will be major, and we’re going to need some strong backs and lots of expertise. How about it? Can you join us? Call the Harsha House, 547-0373, or me at 547-2742. We’d love to enjoy working with you. Happy Spring!

Your president,
Mona Bergeon

CHARLEVOIX COUNTY HISTORIAL PRESERVATION SOCIETY PROGRAM

The Charlevoix County Historical Preservation Society will be presenting an extremely interesting program for literature lovers. The Society will meet on Monday, April 27^th at the Melrose Township Hall, 2321 State Road, Walloon Lake, at 7:00 P. M. to hear Ernest H. Mainland of Petoskey and Walloon Lake, nephew of Nobel Laureate author Ernest Hemingway, who will present “Personal Glimpses of Ernest Hemingway & Family.” Mr. Mainland lives in the National Historic Landmark cottage “Windemere,” the former summer residence of the Hemingway family at the base of the Walloon Lake peninsula. He will share personal glimpses into the life of his uncle, family members, and others who helped mold the Nobel- and Pulitzer Prize-winning author. A short visual presentation will also show interior views of the “Windemere” cottage that are not generally available to the public. There is no admission fee for the program and the public is invited to attend. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call Georganna Monk at 582-5326.

NEW EARL YOUNG EXHIBIT AND BROCHURE GUIDE

It looks like this is going to be Earl Young’s year. Not only did the Society come out in December with a DVD of his life and works based on your editor’s two-hour program presented in 2007 and 2008, and which is selling extremely well. This was followed three weeks ago by Mike Barton’s book on Earl’s structures. The Harsha House Museum is now in the process of preparing a big exhibit of over seventy images that also will summarize his life story and achievements. To top that, the Society has been working with the Chamber of Commerce to prepare a new brochure guide to his structures. This will replace the outdated brochure that has been distributed for over fifteen years. Instead of just numbered locations and street addresses, each existing building and its site will now be pinpointed by a full color illustration, with directions on how to find all of them (plus the Harsha House), combined with a capsule history of Earl’s life and works. Both the exhibit and the brochure will, should everything go right, be ready by Memorial Day weekend in time for the first influx of summer visitors.

As a complement to the Earl Young exhibit, the Harsha House has already mounted a photo history of the Argo Milling Company that used to stand beside the bridge. The mill was replaced in 1953-54 by Earl Young’s Weathervane Inn restaurant building. One of its large pulley wheels is sitting on our photo history case.

The Harsha House currently has a display of the paintings of longtime shoe store owner Don Campbell. Coming up soon will be a small exhibit commemorating the 75^th anniversary of the founding of the Charlevoix Kiwanis Club chapter, and in the family history display case an exhibit on Will Hampton, former mayor and editor of the Charlevoix Courier one hundred years ago, co-curated by his granddaughter Mary Beth Soellner of Harbor Springs.

WHAT’S ON FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR?

After the May program, we will settle into our accustomed roster of events with the possibility of special events interspersed along the way. In late June, the annual thank-you reception and recognition for our Patrons and Ralph Hamilton Members, possibly held in a new and very interesting venue if the details can be worked out. Friday, July 24: the Venetian Festival fireworks potluck at the Depot. August: a possible model train fair at the Depot to be called “Depot Days,” and a hosting of a Camp Charlevoix reunion over the weekend of the 21^st at the Depot. Tuesday, September 1: the annual Ice Cream Social and volunteer recognition at the Depot. Tuesday, October 6: the annual Harvest Potluck and entertainment at the Depot. Wednesday, November 4: the annual fundraising all-you-can eat dinner at Terry Left’s Villager Pub. Tuesday, December 1: the annual Christmas dinner at the Grey Gables restaurant. A repeat of the hotels history program might be scheduled during the summer if there is enough interest shown by our summer residents and members.

There will be no Sunset Cruise on the Emerald Isle this year due to reduced participation and increased expenses. A possible reinstatement will be given consideration in 2010.

The Society welcomes new Patrons: HopkinsBurns Design Studio; Mike Barton

The Society welcomes new Life Member: Don Nowland

Donation received in March in memory of Chris Barnum from: Marjory Dinwiddie