Old Settlers Park becomes officially historic

By Torin Yeager
Sun staff writer
Leelanau County is home to a rich history, and soon Old Settlers park of Burdickville will join the list of historic sites in Michigan.

The park was founded with the purchase of two properties in 1912 and 1917, as a result of a picnic held on August 3, 1893 in honor of two of the area’s original homesteaders: Kasson Freeman Jr. and John Fisher. The date happened to be the birthday of Kasson Freeman as well as the anniversary of John Fisher’s landing in what is now Glen Arbor. The picnic, known at first as the Pioneer Picnic, and then later called the Old Settlers Picnic, was held in Burdickville, but not on the grounds where the park now sits. Not until 1904 was the picnic held in the present-day park, and the event has been held at the Old Settlers Park ever since. The old Methodist chapel on the park property, which was built in 1893 and has housed numerous denominations, is just one of many historic parts of Old Settlers. Other structures with stories to tell include the gazebo, which began as a speaker’s stand around 1911, and the “Grub Shack”, from which food is served during the picnic.
The driving force behind Old Settlers’ new historic status is Dottie M. Lanham, a member of the Old Settlers Picnic Association and the Leelanau County Parks and Recreation Commission. “My great grandparents came to Burdickville from Ireland in 1888 and I have lived here all my life,” says Dottie. “I was baptized and went to Sunday school at the chapel on the park grounds. I have also attended nearly every Old Settlers Picnic since I was three or four, so the park has been a large part of my life. It is a unique piece of history, and I felt strongly that it should be recognized as an historical site.”
In 1999, Mrs. Lanham contacted the Michigan Historical Society at the state capitol, and was sent an application form for nominating the park to be a Michigan Historic Site. The requirements stated that the park had to be at least 50 years of age, which Old Settlers was easily able to fulfill. The criteria that came next, however, required far more work. Old Settlers had to show historical significance and integrity — easily evident by the tradition of Old Settlers Picnics as well as by the presence of the old chapel — but proving all this to the bureaucracy in Lansing was another matter. “I had to provide information regarding the history of the park, as well as photos of the present day property,” says Dottie. “But the photos had to be in black and white, no color allowed.” After Dottie had gathered all of the required items, including a roll or two of black and white film, she sent them to the Michigan Historical Society, and… “They lost the film,” laughs Dottie. “Then more information was required, and the pictures were found on somebody’s desk under a pile of papers!” After all that, the long waiting began for the application to go through the process of examination. Finally, after nearly four years of fulfilling the demands of the examiners in Lansing, and sometimes pestering them to stay on task, Dottie’s hard work and dedication paid off. The Historical Commission gave its approval for Old Settlers to become an historic site. As a result, the park will soon be marked by a large, double-posted metal sign that tells the story of Old Settlers and its picnic, keeping history alive for future generations of picnickers.
In order to preserve the history of Old Settlers, restoration has been necessary, while keeping the character of the park in mind. After its previous foundation began to crumble, the walls of the old Methodist chapel began to sink while the floor rose in the center of the church. Fortunately, the foundation was successfully replaced with materials that closely resembled the original structure, and the chapel was reset. The gazebo has also seen its share of change. After being completely destroyed by a tornado in 1987, it was rebuilt with a better roof, although the first gazebo in 1911 didn’t have any covering. The large maple trees that shade the landscape won’t last forever, but plenty of young saplings have been planted and will assume their role in the future. Through all this, the park has been remarkably well preserved, and it stands as a testament to all of the bold homesteaders who came to a wild Leelanau County during the Nineteenth century in search of a pleasant peninsula.
All are welcome to attend this year’s Old Settlers Picnic in historic Old Settlers Park on Sunday, August 3 and continue this grand tradition.