Charlevoix Historical Society - Charlevoix, Michigan

VENETIAN POTLUCK REMINDER!

Don’t forget the annual Venetian Fireworks Potluck at the Depot on Friday, July 24 at 7:00 P. M. Tables and chairs will be set up in the Heritage Garden. Bring a dish to pass plus serving utensil, and your own tableware and silver plus fireworks viewing chairs or blankets. We supply hot dogs, buns, condiments, and lemonade. Feel free to BYOB. Call Mona Bergeon at 547-2742 if you can volunteer a little time for set-up and grilling the dogs. Be sure to get there on time because parking spaces will be going fast as the evening progresses.

This is always one of our nicest events. We hope to see many of you!

IMPORTANT LIGHTHOUSE EVENT SCHEDULED

On Wednesday, August 5 at 3:00 P. M. on the Lake Michigan Beach south pier, an important event in the ongoing restoration and preservation of the 1948 lighthouse will take place. The structure will be re-introduced to the general public by members of the Society, in charge of its restoration, and the Charlevoix City Administration, which retains ownership.

After comments by Society representatives, Ralph Graham, Chair of the David Evans Preservation Award, will speak on the Michigan Architectural Foundation’s contribution of $7500 which has helped the Society accomplish its completion of the project.

This stipend is the 12^th annual award presented to Michigan non-profit organizations in support of those that attain completion of a significant historic preservation. In the past twelve years, projects have been funded in Southern, Central, and Northern Michigan as well as the Upper Peninsula.

The David Evans Preservation Award jury is made up of several practicing architects as well as persons involved with historic preservation and members of the Michigan Architectural Foundation in Detroit. Carl Roehling is the president of the Foundation. Funding for the award is generated by grants from the Clannad Foundation in Bloomfield Hills, Quinn/Evans Architects of Ann Arbor, and an anonymous endowment.

Painting of the lighthouse back to its historic “lighthouse red” will begin any time now once a structural flaw has been corrected, and should be finished toward the end of August.

In case of inclement weather, the “check passing” ceremony will be held in the beach pavilion. All members of the Historical Society are invited to attend this prestigious event.

CHARLEVOIX’S POET LAUREATE TO BE HONORED ON HER 90^TH

Charlevoix’s Poet Laureate Rosalyn Goldstick will be saluted on the occasion of her 90^th birthday on Saturday, August 15 from 1-4 P. M. at the Charlevoix Senior Center located at 06906 Norwood Road near the west end of Carpenter Street (turn at the Flap Jack restaurant on U. S. 31 south). Light refreshments will be served. No gifts, please, but cards are welcome. Donations in Rosalyn’s name can be made to either the Senior Center or to Temple B’Nai Israel, 420 Waukazoo Avenue, Petoskey, MI 49770. Call 231-547-0749 for questions or information.

Rosalyn is known by many for her wonderful book of poems titled “Do You Remember?,” her reminiscences in verse of what Charlevoix was like after she, a city girl, arrived in our small town from Kansas to experience her first real winter in 1947. She hasn’t stopped there, but has continued to produce a steady stream of poetry to mark any and all occasions and memories and is even talking of publishing a second volume. (The first volume was a complete sellout, the proceeds of which she donated to the Society, which generosity made her an honored patron for a year. The book has recently been republished in a limited second edition available at the Harsha House Museum store.) The “Do You Remember?” poems made such an impression that people reported being driven both to gales of laughter and to tears of remembrance.

(In the interest of full disclosure, it must be reported here that Mrs. Goldstick is your editor’s aunt, and any obvious enthusiasm on his part is perfectly understandable.)

SECOND GRADERS COMMENT ON THE HARSHA HOUSE

Every spring, just before classes let out for the year, the public school second graders come to the Harsha House to learn about how Charlevoix has changed. These are some of the days your co-directors look forward to the most. Among other things, we show them the formal parlors to emphasize what the Harsha family had that we don’t, and what we enjoy that they didn’t. The kids are full of curiosity and questions, but sometimes we’re not exactly sure that what we’re telling them is getting through. This year, Nicole Sterrett’s students sent us their impressions of what they saw. Here are a few examples. (The “glass ball” refers to our Gray’s Reef lighthouse Fresnel lens, the piano to our player piano which we demonstrate to wide-eyed wonder.)

Tristan: “An we can’t forget the kittchen it was so small I don’t even think I can fit my family in there. An the light in that glass ball that was so wickid. Cool. An finely the coolest thing about the Harsha house was the old time careigi (our one-horse open “slaye” as one student wrote). I will never forget that house.”

Molly: “I like the lighthouse because when ever you look up and down the light looks up and down. I like the piano because it plays itself and it is cool.”

Ronnie: “My favorite thing at the Harsha house is when I saw the kichen. I saw draners and spoons. I saw a atamatic piano.”

Anonymous: “I learned that old things don’t look the things we have today. It was really awesome.”

Isabella: “My favorite thing at the Harsha house was when we went to the dining room. I learned that they have a lot of things that can brake.”

Matthew: My favorite thing at the harsha house was the old piano. Because its kinda freaky how the keys still move.”

Emily: “I also liked the kichen too it was neat at least I think.”

Your co-directors can now rest assured that the educational process is succeeding rather well.

PERIOD WEDDING DRESSES AND ACCESSORIES NEEDED FOR EXHIBIT

Exhibit chair Karen Lewis is planning a textile area exhibit of wedding dresses and related items. Needed, on loan, are dresses from the periods: 1900-1910, the 1920s, 1940s, late 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Accessories such as veils, headpieces, shoes, gloves, garters, and jewelry might also be included if available. Photographs showing the items as they were worn would be appreciated. If members can provide any of the material, or fabric items unique in themselves used in weddings, please call Karen at 547-9743.

REMINDER OF BUSINESS MEETING AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS

A special mailing was made recently to inform members that the annual business meeting and election of officers will take place at the Depot on Thursday, July 30 at 7:00 P. M. Members are urged to attend to inquire about any aspect of the Society’s operation and to vote for the slate of officers listed in the mailing.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Members: Are you as amazed as I am at how short summers have become these days? Garden blooms have come and gone, the days are getting shorter, and the “lazy” season is almost past. But fall is so lovely—there’s always something to look forward to around the corner!

Remnants of the old Chicago Avenue paving from the Depot to the Inn are permanently on display at curbside next to the Depot parking lot, and soon a plaque will be placed explaining what one might be looking at. Chuck Unbehaun is responsible for arranging for all this to happen, and now Chris Unbehaun is doing the planting of thyme around the pieces of concrete. She’s also planting around the photo sailboat. Many, many thanks to both of them! We now have another wonderful fulfillment of our mandate, the preservation of the history of this great town.

Speaking of wonderful displays, the Earl Young exhibit at Harsha House is first class. Be sure and catch it. Kudos to the team at Harsha House who did all the preparation and arranging: Steve Goslee and David Miles, Co-directors, and Karen Lewis, a wonderfully devoted volunteer with many years of contribution to the Society. Each of you is greatly appreciated. The Young structures are famous; folks from far and wide inquire about and visit them.

All the exterior lights of the Depot have now been repaired. And there is once again a flagpole in place atop the roof. The perpetual job of maintenance goes forward apace.

We’ll be looking forward to seeing you at the Venetian potluck on July 24 and at the Ice Cream Social on September 1.

Mona Bergeon

The Society welcomes new Patron: Adele Dilschneider

Donations in memory of Robert Million received from: American Telephone; Donald & Pat Whitehead; Peter & Talbot MacCarthy; Angelo & Marita Parrish; Alan Winslow; Frank Mullen; Marcus & Christine Cunningham

The Society welcomes new Ralph Hamilton Circle members: Vincent & Mary Ann Chew; Steve & Ann Hansen; Betty Renton

The Society welcomes new members: The Leland S. Bisbee III family