Uniquely Ada

July & August, Tuesday nights – Music on the Lawn

Please see following page for the scheduled line-up!

July 4, 2015 – Fourth of July Parade & Festivities

Come to the village to celebrate our nation’s birth! In addition to

the village festivities, AHS will have coffee and water available

along the parade route from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Parade begins at 10:00

a.m. The Museum will be open from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

July 9, August 13, September 10 – AHS Board Meeting

We invite you to join in helping to preserve, share, and celebrate

Ada’s history. The meeting is open to all and will begin at 1:00

p.m. at the museum.

July 28, 2015 – Garden Party

We celebrate the bounty of summer in our lovely gardens and

grounds. We’ll have treats and special surprises as you stroll the

gardens. The Garden Party will take place from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00

p.m. Make an evening of it and stay for the Music On the Lawn

concert at 7:00 p.m. That evening’s group is Ghosts of the

American Road, singing Americana music.

August 7, 2015 – August in Ada

AHS will participate in the village’s annual children’s festival.

Stop by our booth amid the rides, activities, nibbles, and fun. The

event will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Ada Township

Park.

August 11-13, 2015 – Pioneer Days

Kids step back in time and live like the Pioneers did at this 3-day

summer camp. Register through the Ada Parks Dept. at 676-0520.

9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at AHS.

September 26, 2015 – Roselle Park River Fest

Ada Parks Dept. hosts Ada’s fall festival with lots of fun for the

whole family. Stop by our booth for Ada-themed goodies and a

kids’ craft. The event runs from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at Roselle

Park, 1010 Grand River Drive NE in Ada.

October 17, 2015 – Fall Door Decoration Class

Learn to create an autumn masterpiece for your home. Pre-

registration required; registration information coming soon. The

JULY, AUGUST AND

SEPTEMBER 2015

SOCIETY OFFICERS

Bernard Veldkamp-

President

Marie Vierson-

Vice President

Sandra Sefton – Secretary

Kevin Moran—Treasurer

BOARD MEMBERS

Betty Jo Crosby

Marilyn DeGood

Ken Dixon

Frank Hoover

Geoff Laham

Al Mracna

Kristen Wildes

The Averill Historical Museum of Ada

is open for tours Friday and Saturday from 1:00-4:00 p.m.

and other times by appointment.

Newsletter of the Ada Historical Society and the Averill Historical Museum of Ada

www.AdaHistoricalSociety.org 616.676.9346 AdaHistoricalSociety@gmail.com

Upcoming

Events

We had a successful small museum tour and open house in early

May for “Spring Into the Past.”

On July 21st, we will have our catered lunch and program by Sonya

Bernard-Hollins on “Honoring the Forgotten Trailblazers in our

Archives,” including Merze Tate, at the Belrockton in Belding.

Tickets are $10.00 each.

A bus trip is being planned for October to visit museums in

Coopersville and Muskegon. Tickets for this are $50.00.

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SUBHEAD. SUBHEAD. SUBHEAD. SUBHEAD.

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Lucky for us, Ada’s 4th

of July parade passes directly in

front of the museum. Come pitch your lawn chair in front

of the barn for a great view. AHS volunteers will be out

with a table selling water and cheering on the parade. The

museum will be open on the 4th

of July from 1:00 – 4:00 pm.

Uniquely Ada

Summer is in full swing and so is Music On the

Lawn! In June, we were treated to the sounds of

Sweet Swing Trio, The Family and Nobody’s

Darlin’. The line-up for July and August is

packed with a variety aimed to please. Concerts

are Tuesdays nights at 7:00 pm at the museum.

Take special note of the July 28th concert –

Ghosts of the American Road will play at 7:00 pm

after our annual Garden Party from 5:00 – 7:00

pm. Make a point to come early, stroll the

gardens, and enjoy some refreshments. Both

events are free of charge and open to all.

This is the 15th year of Ada’s annual summer

concert series. AHS is proud to offer a

community concert series in a lovely green

setting in the village. The music is good, the

weather is fine. Come join the fun!

July 7 - The Adams Family Acoustic folk, rock

July 14 - The Lazy Blue Tunas 60s, 70s, 80s

July 21 – Entourage A little bit of everything

July 28 - Ghosts of the American Road Americana

August 4 - Matthew Ball The Boogie Woogie Kid

August 11 - Flat River Big Band Big band jazz

August 18 - The 6 Pack 60s pop

August 25 - The Thirsty Perch Blues band

Uniquely Ada

Rivers and Time

The little gem to the right can be

found in the Historical Society’s

archives. It appears to have been

clipped from a newspaper with no

title or date noted. Not even the

entire text was saved.

The clipping does present an

editorial-style description from

Ada-resident Mrs. Marion L.

Frazier Headley followed by the

adjacent poem. Headley (yes,

Headley Street) lived from 1846-

1926. Her sons published a book

of her poems in 1927.

In the description, Headley refers

to a beautiful legend called the

Lone Tree about a Native American

chieftain and the land he loved.

Headley wrote, “the Indian had a

love for the beautiful and good.

Ada is older than Grand Rapids

when first platted. But fortune’s

wheel turned for Grand Rapids

and we can only wait. Yet the

possibilities of Ada are greater

now than then, as the distance is

fast lessening between Grand

Rapids and this little suburb. Let

us cherish the memory of those

who by their efforts and endurance

made it possible for us to enjoy

this beautiful scenery on the Old

Owashtenong” (Grand River)

The poem is reprinted here as it

appears in the newspaper clipping.

The Singing Waters of the Owashtenong In Ada, our town in the years that have sped

A flourishing village has often been said

Long before Grand Rapids was thought of or born,

Our beautiful streams glistened bright in the morn

Of that far away time.

When the dusky hued maid

Sought shelter and rest neath the green forest shade

While the splashing of paddle

Of her lover’s canoe

She listened and smiled as he came to her view.

His paddles are silent, his pleasures are oe’r

No maiden awaits him on Owashtenong’s shore

To mingle her voice with music and song

With the singing of waters that ripple along.

That maiden and her lover have long passed away

And the hand of the white man in now holding sway

And fortune’s wheel which turns for all

Turned for Grand Rapids which made us quite small.

But as time rolls on we find today

A suburb of Grand Rapids not far away

So beautifully situated on river and stream

That the poets come here often to dream.

And rest from the turmoil of city and heat

In the beautiful valley and flowering retreat

Which in fancy the city’s East Park we may call

With fresh air that’s given so freely to all.

But the fleeting years will tell the tale

Whose hands will rule in this little vale

Whose eyes will view when we are gone

The singing waters of the Owashtenong.

Marion L. Headley

Volunteers are the heart and soul of the Society! Please circle any areas that interest you:

Programs/Events Collections Gardening Research Education Fundraising

Docent Lecturing Children’s Events Special Projects Other __________

Membership Level

AdaHistoricalSociety@gmail.com

616.676.9346

www.AdaHistoricalSociety.org

Ada Historical Society Membership Form

Name __________________________________________________________________

Address_________________________________________________________________

City ______________________________ State ___________ Zip_________________

Phone ___________________________ E-mail _________________________________

Ada Historical Society

Averill Historical Museum of Ada

7144 Headley St.

PO Box 741

Ada, MI 49301

Board meetings are held on

the second Thursday of the month at 1:00 pm

at the Averill Historical Museum of Ada.

If you would like

to help preserve

Ada history,

please fill out this

form and return

along with a check

to the address

below.

Personal Membership

_____ Individual - $15.00

_____ Family - $25.00

_____ Senior - $10.00

_____ Friend - $35.00

_____ Settler -$100.00

Business and Benefactor

_____ Business - $100.00

_____ Lyon - $250.00

_____ Bradfield - $500.00

_____ Robinson - $1000.00

Additional tax-deductible gift ________

_____ I have items I would like to donate to

the museum’s collections