06 April 2016

Tri-River Historical Museum's "Spring Into the Past" Tour

The five counties bordered in red make up the counties in the Tri-River Historical Museum Network.

Where can one visit twenty six museums or historical societies all in one weekend? In Barry, Eaton, Ionia, Kent and Montcalm counties, Michigan, that's where!

Every year, the Tri-River Historical Museum Network has a "Spring Into the Past" tour.  It is held the first weekend in May.  The 2016 dates are Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. This annual event showcases the wonderful museums and societies that are in their network.

The Tri-River Historical Museum Network museums and societies are located along the Flat, Grand, and Thornapple River areas of Western Michigan.  The architecture of the various building would be worth the trip alone, but coupled with historical information and displays and it is a Win! Win! The museums and societies are housed in churches, houses and barns, depots, dormitories, schools, town and township halls, parks, masonic temples, Victorian mansions, old stores and more.

The 2016 theme, "Quilts-A Stitch in Time", will have some museums displaying quilts.  In addition, the Tri-River Historical Museum Network will be kicking off a Tri-River Quilt Trail.  The trail will showcase 43 quilt squares that are mounted on barns, buildings, or posts in the area.  A brochure of the quilt locations will be available in the member museums tour weekend.

The participating museums and societies are:

1. Alton Historic Church Museum – in old church, north of Lowell
2. Ada’s Averill Historical Museum – house and barn
3. Barry County Historical Society-in the Middleville Depot
4. Belding Museum & “The Bel” – in Belrockton Silk Mill Dormitory
5. Boston/Saranac Historical Society – a depot museum in Saranac
6. Bowne Township – museum, carriage house, school – near Alto
7. Byron Center Historical Society and Musuem-in the former town hall
8. Cascade Historical Museum – in old township hall
9. Cedar Springs Museum – in Morley Park, local artifacts and research
10. Charlton Park Historical Village – a 300 acre complex with museum, reconstructed village and   recreation area near Hastings
11. Clarksville/Campbell Historical Society – has no museum as yet
12. Fallasburg Historical Village – near covered bridge, north of Lowell
13. Fighting Falcon Military Museum – Restored CG 4-A glider, and military exhibits honoring local veterans from Greenville
14. Flat River Historical Museum – with Danish charm - in Greenville
15. Freeport Historical Society – located in the old Masonic Temple
16. Grattan Township Historical Society – in a restored 1853 structure west of Belding
17. Ionia’s Blanchard House and Museum – in a stately Victorian Mansion
18. Lake Odessa Historical Society Depot Museum – displays, archives
19. Lowell Area Historical Museum – in old home with Victorian flair
20. Lyons/Muir Historical Museum in Lyons – newly redone in old store
21. Oakfield Museum in Podunk – west of Greenville
22. Pine Forest Historical Museum – variety in an 1881 Edmore church
23. Plainfield Charter Township—Hyser Rivers Museum – northside Grand Rapids
24. Portland Area Historical Society — no museum but memorabilia is housed at the Portland Area Library
25. Rockford Area Museum — exhibits early life in Rockford
26. Welch Historical Museum – in former hardware store in Sunfield

I plan on going, I hope to see you there. There is a lot of history in Pure Michigan and Tri-River Historical Museum network is helping to bring it to you.




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