Empire Museum Heritage Day offers first glimpse of sunken boat

From staff reports

The Empire Area Museum complex will open its doors to the community and area visitors for the annual Heritage Day event, 1-4 p.m., on Saturday, Oct. 13.

This year’s gathering takes place during the organization’s 40th anniversary celebration.

Vintage cars, tractors, bicycles and live demonstrations by a blacksmith and others will fill the grounds. Children and adults can try their hands at old-fashioned crafts and skills and also sample foods from the pioneer era. See woodworking and blacksmith shops, a barn filled with horse-drawn equipment, and a replica of a turn-of-the-century saloon. Tour a fire house and a one-room school.

Diver Ross Richardson, discoverer of the “Westmoreland” — a 200-foot steamer that sank in Platte Bay in 1854 — will show the first-ever footage of a small steam excursion boat that sank in 1914. The “Rescue” is resting in 120 feet of water in the middle of Big Glen Lake. Come and hear the fascinating story. Richardson will also be autographing and selling his new book, The Search for the Westmoreland.

At 3 p.m., the “Fire House Quilters” will raffle their beautifully-made, queen-sized quilt to benefit the Glen Lake Fire Department.

Everyone is welcome to join for this fun-filled afternoon. The museum is located on LaCore Road west of M-22, just north of M-72 West. For more information, contact Empire Area Heritage Group President Dave Taghon at (231) 326-5519.

Watch this video of Ross Richardson’s dive to locate “The Rescue”