Charlevoix Historical Society - Charlevoix, Michigan

Christmas Dinner at G. G.

A Christmas Gambol Oft Could Cheer—Sir Walter Scott

Once again members and their guests are invited to gather in the spirit of the season for the annual Historical Society Christmas Dinner, always one of the nicest events of the year, and judging by the turnouts of the past few years, one of the most popular.

When: Tuesday, December 1 at 6:00 P. M.

Where: The Grey Gables Inn 308 Belvedere Avenue

A holiday cheer social hour with old friends will precede the Gables’ quality offerings (menu and price inside). As in previous years, we would like to have a rough estimate of how many of each entrée will be ordered. So, if you can, we would appreciate a call by Saturday, November 28 informing us of the number in your party and your selections. 547-0373 Tuesday through Saturday, or leave a message. You can also call David Miles at home, 547-6736.

Should circumstances prevent you from deciding or being able to call until the last minute, you may appear at the appointed hour at the Gables with no problem.

No prior payment is needed. Someone will be on hand to collect your payment.

We hope that many members and their guests can join us for this festive occasion. The event is open to the public also.

MUSEUM HOURS THROUGH DECEMBER 31

The Harsha House Museum will be open 1-4 P. M. Tuesday to Saturday through the end of the year except for Christmas and Thanksgiving. The side office door facing the Charlevoix State Bank is open Tues.-Sat. from 11 A. M. to 1 P. M. for those who need to conduct Society business or purchase store items before museum hours. Start planning your Christmas shopping at the museum store now! (See inside.)

The museum will be closed during January and February, but the side office door will remain open the same hours as above.

A TREASURE COMES TO THE HARSHA HOUSE

The Society recently received an important gift, a book retrieved from the toss-out bin at the University of Iowa Library in Iowa City. It was once in the possession of the Iowa State Library in Des Moines and marked “withdrawn.” The person who spotted it is Prof. Timothy Barrett, Research Scientist & Adjunct Professor at the University’s Center for the Book. He thought it might have potential value and began to investigate, along with his sister Ms. Barbara Lucas, a visitor to Charlevoix. The book in question is “LETTERS to the Dutchess of Lesdiguieres; Giving an Account of a VOYAGE to CANADA and Travels through that vast Country, and Louisiana , to the Gulf of Mexico. Undertaken By Order of the present King of FRANCE, by Father CHARLEVOIX. Printed for R. Goadby, and Sold by R. Baldwin in PATERNOSTER-ROW, London. 1763.” This 384-pp. fascinating description of travels in 1720-1722 through part of the continent, including this area, by the intrepid explorer and scholar after whom our county and subsequently our town were named, Jesuit Father Pierre Francois Xavier de Charlevoix, was translated, then printed two years after his death.

Ms. Lucas informed the Harsha House that the William Clements Library of Americana at the University of Michigan was very eager to obtain this particular book since it contains a rare map found in few other existing volumes. But after much thought she and her brother felt its true home was Charlevoix, had it appraised, then sent it on. The book rescued from the toss-out bin has been valued at $3500.

An interesting sidelight is that Professor Barrett is one of the recipients of a 2009 $500,000 “no-strings’ MacArthur Foundation Fellowship, popularly known as the “genius awards.” He is “an internationally recognized master craftsman who is preserving and enhancing the art of hand-papermaking through his work . . . . he and his co-workers fabricated the handmade archival paper used to re-house the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution as part of the ‘Charters of Freedom Re-encasement Project’ of 2002.” Read more about Prof. Barrett’s work and the awards at www.macfound.org., click on General Grantmaking, then MacArthur Fellows/Meet the 2009 Fellows.

Our profound thanks to Ms. Lucas and Prof. Barrett for their generosity in providing the Society and the community with this important foundation stone of our history.

DUES RENEWAL ENVELOPES

Dues renewal envelopes for membership year 2010 should have been mailed to all annual members by the time this newsletter has been printed and sent. As we did last year, they have gone out via first-class mail so we can discover what addresses are no longer valid and update our mailing list.

We would like to remind our annual members to be aware that they can upgrade their membership to a Ralph Hamilton Circle, Life, or Patron level. The first category is a pledge of $100 annually, the second a $250 (single) or $400 (family) one-time payment, the third an annual support at various levels from $350 (see front page). Life members and Patrons can also become Ralph Hamilton Circle members, and vice versa. Call the Harsha House for more information.

SPAGHETTI DINNER ANOTHER HUGE SUCCESS

Our twelfth annual fundraising spaghetti dinner on November 4 at the Villager Pub was again a success thanks to Patron and Pub owner Terry Left, his terrific crew, and our Society volunteers who acted as wait staff and greeters. Receipts for the night, combining all tips and Terry’s donation of the proceeds from the spaghetti portion of the menu, totaled $2821, on a par with last year. That brings the total of funds raised since we began this event, at Terry’s invitation, close to the $20,000 mark. People were coming in the Pub door before we even had a chance to put our aprons on, and didn’t let up for three hours. We estimate around 275 meals were served, of which about 160 were the delicious all-you-can-eat spaghetti. (Remember—every Wednesday is spaghetti night at the Pub.) A big round of applause to co-ordinator Mick Smith and all our volunteers for making the evening such a winner, and to Terry’s ever patient crew for guiding us through the ropes to a successful conclusion. And a huge thanks to all the Society members and their guests who turned out in support of the event.

Winners of this year’s door prizes are: Grand Prize, dinner for two at Terry’s Place—Cynthia Postmus; second prize, a 2010 Charlevoix in Historic Photo calendar—Jim Jerkatis; third prize, a 2009 Christmas bulb showing a Resort Special train at the Depot—Shelby Isaac. All the winners are from Charlevoix. Congratulations to each one.

ITEMS NEEDED FOR DEPOT TICKET OFFICE RESTORATION

Exhibit co-ordinator Karen Lewis, with the assistance of former museum director Betsy Reynolds, is embarking on the second phase of the restoration of the ticket master’s office at the Depot. She is asking if anyone might be able to donate or loan a sledgehammer, a large pair of pliers, a large wrench, and any other tools that would be used in the day-to-day running and maintenance of a railroad depot.

EXCERPT FROM FATHER CHARLEVOIX’S BOOK

July 31, 1721: “I departed from Michillimackinac (the Straits area) the day before yesterday at noon, and I am detained here in a little island that has no name . . .” The only coastal island between the Straits and Grand Traverse Bay is Fisherman’s Island a few miles south of Charlevoix. He described having followed the coast by canoe, and “ . . . entering the Bay (Little Traverse) and was surprised at it. It is certain that this bay, having no other outlet, discharges itself into Lake Michigan. . . . I went at first five leagues to the west, to get into Lake Michigan, I then turned to the south, and this is the only route we have to take . . . Yesterday I went three leagues further, and a high wind obliged me to stop at this island.”

He would have “turned to the south” at North Point/Mt. McSauba, but makes no mention of a possible exploratory landfall before “three leagues further” at what would become Pine River/Charlevoix. He later describes the “condition,” as he called it, of rivers leading from Lake Michigan into inland lakes, a phenomenon he encountered repeatedly down the coast. The Lake Michigan-Round Lake-Lake Charlevoix chain may have been the first one he saw.

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Members,

The time of campaigning for financial support is upon us once again, and I beg each of you to remember the Charlevoix Historical Society when you do your annual gifting. The tough economy our nation is struggling through has affected each of us; our organization’s income is down commensurately. We do not receive public funds; we depend upon the generosity of our supporters to keep up the good work of preserving Charlevoix history. It’s a fascinating job which never ends. We love doing it, but we can’t do it without the support of our community. Please help.

Having said that, I need to mention another thing. The Charlevoix Historical Society has an endowment fund with the Charlevoix County Community Foundation. It was established by one of our most generous supporters, and the interest from that fund helps us go forward. We have also been remembered in the will of another very kind supporter. These financial arrangements help assure the future of the Society; they might be ideas for you to ponder.

We appreciated seeing so many of you at the yearly Spaghetti Dinner at the Pub. Terry, you are a really loyal patron. We appreciate you, and have a good time doing it!

I’ll remind you once again to give your e-mail address to the directors at the Harsha House. You can send it to chxhistory@sbcglobal.net. Thanks!

Enjoy the beautiful upcoming holiday season.

Mona

The Society welcomes new members: Mike & Kim Foster

Donations (unrestricted) received in October from: Mike & Kim Foster, the estate of Edith Gilbert, The Petoskey Antiques Club

Donation for the lighthouse restoration received in October from: Suzanne Goodwin in memory of Norman A. Goodwin

The Society regrets the recent loss of member Chuck Kehrer