april 2014 newsletter final

5/27/2018 April 2014 Newsletter Final

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By mid-summer, unique, colorful boards will

be sprinkled across the countryside of Me-

costa County, creating a Quilt Block

Trail. The Remus Area Historical Society

(RAHS) hopes to link the Mecosta County

Quilt Block Trail with other central Michigan

counties including Osceola, Clare, and Isabella. Due to the generosity of a num-

ber of grant-makers (see Page 5) quilt block boards are available at a subsi-

dized donation cost on a first-come, first-serve basis for the next few-

months. Any Mecosta County resident or business interested in having a quilt

block (2 x 2, 4 x 4 or 8 x 8 block) on their barn or other structure should send an

email to [email protected] or call Char at (989) 967-8153 to request a

questionnaire/application. A committee member will make contact to discuss

details. Youth and adult volunteer painters are also needed and welcome!

Quilt Block Trail 1

Landscaping Work Day

Memorial Parade

Facebook

2

Generous Donors 3

More Quilt Trail, So N Sew,

Quilt DayJuly 19

4

Grants and Fall Fest 2013 5

School Photo Project and

Elders Interview Project

6

Donor Member Form 7

The trail has begun! 8

Contact Info

Purpose Statement

9

Inside this issue:

April 2014 - Spring Issue

Remus Area Historical Society (RAHS)a nonprofit tax exempt organization

324 S. Sheridan, P. O. Box 71, Remus, MI

49340

Our Past, Your Future"

Mecosta County Quilt lock Trail

Painted quilt blocks mounteon barns, sheds, fences, communitbuildings and businesses will re

flect the rural culture. They will ba draw for tourists who will follothe map and trail. The Societplans to produce at least ten qui

boards whose unique designsreflect local traditions, culturand history.

Two quilt blocks are now available for sale (shown below.) The first is calledMosaic 15 and is 2 X 2; the 2nd one is 4 X 4 and is called Jack in the Pulpit.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Memorial Day ParadeMonday May 26 Coffee & Donut

Page 2 Remus Area Historical Society (RAHS

On May 26th, 9 to 11 a.m. Remus Area Histori-

cal Society will serve coffee and donuts to Vet-

erans, Band members and others taking part in

the Remus Memorial Day parade at the Wheat-

land Township Hall.

Thanks to Grandpas Bakery, Remus Area His-

torical Society and Remus DDA for providing the

refreshments !

Come help put our museum yards and flower beds backinto tip top shape. Once again Erna Lobert is organizing aspring cleanup day. Area Volunteers and Remus AreaHistorical Society board members will join Mecosta Coun-

ty Community Workers in raking, shoveling, planting,weeding, weed whacking, spreading chips, etc. Pleasebring your own tools, gloves, rain gear and sack lunch. Ifyou have wood chips, an old pine stump, perennials orlarge stones to donate, or need more information, call Er-na Lobert (989) 967-8468 or email [email protected] [email protected].

Help Clean Up Museum Grounds

The work day is April 25, 2014, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Scarecrow enjoying new landscaping.

Remus Area Historical Society is now on Facebook!

Be sure to LIKE us on Facebook and watch for :

Updates on the Quilt Block Trail

A new genealogical service being offered-

Activities such as the monthly So N Sew Stitchers and the July 19

Quilt Day events-

Check out the Facebook group I lived in Remus when for lots ofhistorical bits-

Coming to Mecosta County! The 140th annual meeting and history

conference of the Historical Society of Michigan is being held at the Holiday Inn in Big

Rapids, September 26-28. See www.hsmichigan.org for more information.

Also look for updates on www.remus.org
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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MUSEUMARTIFACTCONTRIBUTORS

SINCESEPTEMBER 2013

Remus Area Historical Society (RAHSPage 3

AnonymousNancy BaldwinBandit IndustriesMarvin & Carol BaumannPamela Burke in memory ofDonald Hatfield & Lamar GingrichBruce CarlsonMarjorie Chandler

Michael & Pamela CompsonRobert & Christine Cook inmemory of Donald HatfieldGary & Carol Cox

James & Nancy Dague inmemory of Donald HatfieldMickey & Darlene DargitzRex DenslowRuth Diehm in memory of DonaldHatfieldRichard & Brenda Donley inmemory of Donald Hatfield

Audrey Dubois in memory ofDonald Hatfield

Audrey Dubois in honor of

Chapin Family, Hinton TownshipElkhart Central High SchoolFaculty Fund in memory ofDonald HatfieldWillis & Linda Finney in memoryof Donald HatfieldFirst Thursday QuiltersGeorges TavernDoyle GietzenMichael Gingrich in honor of Don-ald HatfieldHansen-Janowicz Funeral HomeDennis Hatfield in memory ofDonald HatfieldVel HeinL.E. Hines in memory of Donald

HatfieldCharles & Linda HowardDarlene HowardLinda & Dar Howard in memoryof Donald Hatfield & Lamar Gin-grichDwight & Judy Hurst in memoryof Donald HatfieldDon HyderIsabella Bank

Arnold & Isabel KemptonPatrick KowaleskiRobert & Ann Krueger in memoryofDonald HatfieldChar Lenon in

memory ofDonald Hatfield &Lamar GingrichKeith & ErnaLobert in memoryof Donald HatfieldPatricia LoersDorothy MarkleHarriet Marks inmemory of

Donald Hatfield

Sherry Marks in memory ofDonald HatfieldTom & Sherry Marks in memoryof Donald HatfieldWayne & Jean May in memoryof Donald HatfieldMichigan Council for Arts & Cul-tural Affairs (MCACA) Lowell Art

Dianne Naason in honor ofTheodore & Sarah MayNational Quilt Association GrantMaureen NelsonElsie Packard

Jann ParksMary Jane PostPreference DentalRemus DDARemus ElectricRemus Heritage DaysRemus Lumber

Remus TavernMark RobinsonRobert & Bonnie Ruetz

Rural Partners of Michigan GranSackett PotatoesAlbert Schiffer VFW Post 2335Lucille Schiffer in memory ofDonald HatfieldNancy Schiffer in memory ofDonald HatfieldWilliam & Beverly SheehanRonald & Paula SmithDawn Snyder in memory ofDonald HatfieldFrederick & Katherine Stolaruk

Aletha SutherlandSweeney, Holbeck, SchubergInsurance AgencySweeneys Quick & Clean, Inc.

Kenneth & Deloris Todd inmemory of Donald HatfieldCharles & Sharon Wernette inmemory of Donald HatfieldMary Ann WernetteWheatland Music OrganizationGale & Andrea Wood in memoryof Donald HatfieldElsie Vredenberg

-Dorothy (Harris) Allen - numerous items i.e. old

(1800s) books of John G. Whittier and HenryWadsworth Longfellow, copper pan cover, copper

French horn, copper tea kettle, pewter stein, pewtersugar bowl, pewter candle holder, small silver spoon,brass ash tray, brass gong, 14 small toy cards, old toy

kaleidoscope, iron bookends w/ships, ball & jacks

-Mary (Humphrey) Batchelder - numerous items andin-kind help i.e. copies of old plat maps (Millbrook,Altona, Sylvester, Remus)

-Joanne Diehm-Brownlee 1871-1973 Diehm Memo-

rial Centennial pamphlet and several old photos oflocal unnamed persons

-Gary Cox - 1973 Blanchard Centennial booklet

-Barb Hunter Fox- Remus photo postcards of the oldschool, bank, and main street

- Hein Family Beautiful old Columbia Grafonola thatbelonged to Wallys parents

-Tom Johnson - 3 framed photos: 1932 Remus HighGraduation Picture and two of the Mobil Oil fire 1952

-Dorothy Lipar - Wedding Dress belonged at one timeto Mary Jane Post

-Garnet & Lynn Day Lucier - Beautiful Old Howesewing machine

-Wayne May Two Remus school photosone of stu-dents that would be graduates in 1939 and the other

of 9th graders, 1935-36

-Roger Orvis- Clare Centennial 1979

-Christina (Steinman) Sharp her Remus Rams Jr.

High Cheerleading Skirt 1962

-Dawn Snyder - picture w/local people at Mary Foun-

tains birthday party

-Kathy (Lehnert) Stolaruk - Incense Burner from St.

Michaels Church

-Wheatland Music Organizationset of past festivalprograms and the 2013 dance on camera film Carryit on.

-Dean Wood - Manual for U.S. Army Drill Regulations,Jello Recipe Book, Palmer Method Handwriting of Lau-rel Woods, Farmers Ledger, Primary Language cards,

picture of Sally Compson & photos of puppet show atschool all from his Dads (Ralph) house

-Jennifer Wood - hand crocheted items for auction

DONORS SINCE SEPTEMBER 2013JOIN THE CAUSE

Please print your 2014 annual giftdonor form found on page 7.

Wheatland Township Fire Hall took part in Fall Fest


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The Mecosta County Quilt Block Trail project has other related activities.

Quilt Block Trail celebrations will be held to see the newly mounted boards. Date

be announced later this spring and summer.

Come join us for So N Sew Stitchers, a sewing/craft gettogether, held on the th

Tuesday each month at the Museum. Participation is open to anyone interested. An

one who wishes to work on a sewing project in the company of other sewers is w

come. We begin at 9:30 a.m., and work until 4:30 p.m., but you can come and lea

as is convenient for you. Just bring all the materials and equipment you need to wo

on your own project. Members are currently working on little Quilts which will be seto the National Quilting Association for their annual Little Quilt Auction. Group proje

may also be planned in the future, if there is interest in that. This is also a great opp

tunity for you to get help fromother quilters/sewers onthose

projects that are giving you trou-

ble. These are very informal gatherings. Come and work on aproject in the company of others who are interested in the same

craft, or just stop in to visit. Beginning in May the So N Sew

Stitchers will be held at the Wheatland Township Hall.

A Quilt Day is planned for July 19 at the Museum

during Remus Heritage Days! Several activitiesantique

quilts, quilt style demonstrations and a presentation will be

hosted by the museum during Remus Heritage Days. Theseactivities will demonstrate that quilting has evolved historically.

All are free to the public.

A show with family history quilts andantique quiltsis being organized.If you have an antique quilt to

clude in the show, please contact the museum by June 15. For this display we are also looking for racks to d

play the quilts. Please let us know if you have some to loan. Apresentationbringing together the talents of a nu

ber of local quilters will show quilts commemorating local families. If you have access to a family quilt and would lto be part of the presentation, please contact Kathy Stolaruk at

(231) 972-0209 or [email protected]. Finally, modern

quilts will be the focus of a slide presentation called Piecing aLife by former Remus resident Ann Kowaleski. Anns art quilts

were the subject of her exhibit at Central Michigan University

this past winter. Many local people visited Anns exhibit; herpresentation will give

us an opportunity tohear the stories be-

hind her quilts.Shown at right is one

of Anns quilts called

The Spirit.

Remus Area Historical Society is joining efforts with other Michgan quilt block trail groups to market trails at Michigan Welcom

Centers. Quilt block trail maps and quilt racks are in development to dr

tourists to Mecosta County.

Thank you to the team leading the Mecosta County Quilt Block effort:

Remus Area Historical Society project volunteers include Linda Howa

(989) 560-8305 [[email protected]]; Char Lenon (989) 967-81[[email protected]]; Dawn Snyder, [[email protected]]; Ga

Cox [[email protected]]and residents Jann Parks, Nora Quisenberry, a

Margaret Hough Gandy. Artists contracted to work on the project incluformer resident photographer Mary Batchelder, quilter Kathy (Lehnert) S

laruk, painter Karen Coville and former resident graphic artist Audr

Delong. Andrea St. John, Art Teacher at Chippewa Hills School, is also leaing art students in painting blocks. Doug Gietzen of Remus Electric h

agreed to assist in hanging certain blocks and Home Depot donated pa

samples for the project.

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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FALL FEST 2013

GRANTSRemus Area Historical Society was awarded a number of grants to help establish the Mecosta County Quilt BlockTrail. This activity is supported by a Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA) Mini-Grant adminis-tered by LowellArts!, Region 8 representative, The National Quilt Association, Inc. (NQA), Dupont Pioneer, SackettPotatoes, Rural Partners of Michigan and by supporters of Remus Area Historical Society. Quilt enthusiasts mightbe interested to know that NQA grant funds come directly from the Little Quilt Auction which is held annually inconjunction with the show. If any quilter would like to assist the program by donating a small quilt, their participa-

tion is gratefully appreciated.


The October 12th Fall Fest 2013 had a little bit for

everyone. A community dinner, arts and crafts show,and a photo contest were held at the Wheatland

Township Hall. A music jamboree, antique tools, ci-

der making, butter making, rail splitting, kids games,

local vendors, a weaving demonstration, genealogy

resources, a special viewing of the Recording History

project with elders on film, a scare crow contest, quilt

raffle, plaque presentation and much more were held

at the museum! Book sales, more local vendor sales

and fire hall kid treats were also offered. A sincere

thank you to all the individuals, businesses and or-

ganizations that helped to make it a success!

Photos by Mary Batchelder

Shalee Blackmer won Photo contest; Apple pressing drew a crowd.


6/9

Old School Photo Project Continues

Recording History

Over the last few years, Museum volunteers Don

Hatfield, John Oswald and Gary Cox gathered in-formation about the history of the Remus areaearly families by conducting oral interviews onfilm with area elders. At the October 2013 FallFest, Tom Marks presented a 45 minute video thatincluded portions of interviews with Don Hatfield,Mary & Terry Batchelder and Dorothy Lipar.That video, on a flash drive with the video equip-ment, may be viewed at the museum during nor-mal opening hours or by making a special appoint-ment. We hope to eventually digitize all the inter-views and make them available on DVDs.

Though Don sadly passed away in 2013, his ef-forts continue. His daughters are working on abook from the information collected. And, if timeallows, we hope to interview and film more areaelders this summer.

If you know someone who is willing to sharememories, please email [email protected].

Interviewed to date:

Mary & Terry Batchelder-Marv & Carol BaumannMarty BottLiz Karcher CoxElaine CrystalRuth DiehmLila DenslowJoyce GarnerLaMar GingrichGrant & Dee Todd GreenDon HatfieldEdna Diehl HatfieldDarlene HowardBunn KarcherDale KarcherPhil LehnertHelen LenonMarvin LettDorothy LiparKeith LobertGarnet LucierVernon MayNorm Meeker

John OrrMike SweeneyRay SimonJack SticklerWayne StoreyArnold StoutLarry TaskerKen ToddRoger WaiteJustin WernetteKevin WernetteBertha Young

John Oswald worked with Don Hat-

field and Gary Cox on the Recording

History project. He also brought his

antique tools and equipment to Fall

Fest to share. See page 8.

Page 6 Remus Area Historical Society (RAH


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Page 7Remus Area Historical Society (RAH

REMUS AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Our Past, Your Future324 S. Sheridan, P.O. Box 71, Remus, Michigan 49340

A Michigan nonprofit corporation with federal tax exempt status (501(c)(3). Our purpose is to preserve and celebrate the rich heritage of

Wheatland, Broomfield, Rolland, Millbrook, Hinton, Sheridan, Morton, Martiny, Austin, Colfax Townships and surrounding area.

January 2014

Dear Neighbor:

The Remus Area Historical Society, Inc., an educational and charitable organization, was formed to cele-brate the heritage and preserve the cultural and historical resources of the eastern townships of MecostaCounty and the western edge of Isabella County. The all-volunteer group, is organized as a nonprofit corporation; donations are tax deductible as allowed by law. The Museum serves area residents, tourists andformer residents. Emails come in from across the country from persons with area ties requesting infor-mation! With your help we continue to make progress. Thanks to members of the Mecosta Remus Classof 1966, last year we again held our popular Spring Tea. We preserved 43 composite graduation photos

from Remus Consolidated Schools for 1925 to 1967 classes. We Recorded Historywith more than 30elders and have begun editing the films. We hosted the 3rdannual Fall Fest on October 12th2013 duringwhich many old rural arts and area products were celebrated, a community meal was served using somelocal products, and a new Mecosta County Quilt Block Trailhas been launched. Many blocks have beenpainted and new orders are being sought. A weekly Quilt Circle is now underway and a Quilt Day isbeing planned for July.

We so appreciate all the support youve given us over the years. Please complete the donor form

below and mail it along with your check to P.O. Box 71, Remus, Michigan, 49340. If you have further ques

tions, please contact me at (989) 560-8305 or email me at [email protected] .

Very truly yours,

Linda Howard, Board President

Yes, we wish to support the Remus Area Historical Society RAHS and museum during 2014.

Contact Name ____________________________________ Would you rather remain anonymous? _____ yes ______no

Address __________________________________________City/State/Zip ____________________________________

Phone Number ____________________________________ Email Address ____________________________________

$________ is enclosed for 2014 membership.($20-individual, $35-family, $50-business, $100-contributing member or group, $500 supporting member or group)

In addition, our donation is: ___$25 ___ $100 ___$200 ___$500 $ _______ toward__________________.

This gift is made in memory/honor of: __________________________Please mail an acknowledgement to ___________________ (name)_____________________________(address) _______________________city/state/zip.

$________ TOTAL enclosed.

PLEASE MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO RAHS .

MAIL TO: REMUS AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC., P.O. BOX 71, REMUS, MICHIGAN 49340
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


8/9

By the end of the summer, the Mecosta County Quilt Block Trail will include oveone dozen boards across the county . The new trail will put Mecosta County on themap while highlighting our beautiful agriculture area. It will recognize Americasquilt heritage and rural history, promote tourism, and provide a sense of pride in oucommunities.

Quilt blocks are now mounted on the Remus Area Museum, the WheatlandTownship Hall, Remus Lumber, Kelly Simons, Wally & Vel Heins and at Duane &Karen Covilles in Wheatland Township, at Sherry & Tom Marks in MartinyTownship, on the Museum in Barryton in Fork Township, on the Millbrook TownshipHall, and, on Kenneth and Marianne Hahns in Big Rapids. In the next few monthsmore blocks will be mounted : on the Colfax Township Hall, the VFW Building inMorton Township, at Janice Drachs in Morley, Gary & Claudia Lenons in HerseyNora Quisenberrys in Sheridan Township, Fred & Chris Kueblers in MartinyTownship, Kenneth & Judy Schoenborns near Sylvester, Alura Foos in Big Rapids

Jeff Storeys in Blanchard and Linda Bentons in Remus.

Your site can be next!At the end of the summer a map will be distributed andposted online showing all the quilt block sites on the trail. Tourists and residentswill be able to use the map to follow quilt trails from Oscoda, Clare, OsceolaMecosta and Isabella Counties.

The Museum is open to residents and visitorsevery Wednesday and some Saturdays from 11

a.m. to 3 p.m._May 7 through October 29, andby appointment. Volunteers are welcome tohelp staff the museum, Memorial Day through

Labor Day next summer on Saturdays 11-3.

If you are interested, contact Ken Todd (989)967-8249, email [email protected], orChar Lenon (989) 967-8153 emai

[email protected].

Come see the brightened upstairs with its newcoat of paint and a new Genealogy compute

station! The genealogy computer station hasinternet access and a scanner and printer. Using the computer is free but there is a chargefor copies. It is available to the public whenever the museum is open. Genealogy resources

are also available.

COME TO A MEETING! Regular meetings areheld the 3rdWednesday of each month at5 p.m.at the museum. Come find your niche

John Oswald brought the actual tankershown above to Fall Fest 2013. The signsaid that horse drawn wagons were used todeliver fuel to Remus residents. The wag-ons could travel the muddy roadways bet-ter than trucks. Barney Aires had theStandard Oil Company and owned this tank

in the 1920s in Remus.

MUSEUM HOURS:

Page 8 Remus Area Historical Society (RAH

The trail has begun!
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Remus Area HistoricalSociety (RAHS)

324 S. Sheridan, P. O. Box 71Remus, MI 49340

For more information, callLinda Howard (989) 560-8305Char Lenon (989) 967-8153, orDawn Snyder (989) 561-5469 or Email:[email protected].

If you wish to be deleted from this list or ifthis email should have been directed to adifferent email address please let us know.

WEREONTHEWEB! WWW.REMUS.ORG

Because Remus Area Historical Society, Inc. is an incorporated tax exempt nonprofit, all gifts are tax deducti-ble as allowed by law.

The purpose of the Remus Area Historical Society, Inc.,an educational and charitable organization, is to cele-brate the heritage, and preserve the cultural and his-

torical resources, of the Townships of Wheatland,Broomfield, Rolland, Millbrook, Colfax, Morton, Martiny,Austin, Hinton, Sheridan, and surrounding area.

Page 9Remus Area Historical Society (RAHS)
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

april 2014 newsletter final

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