Kim Kelderhouse

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“Saving the Barn—The Leelanau County Poor Farm” screens at Old Art Building

Celebrate National Preservation Month with a special screening of Saving the Barn—The Leelanau County Poor Farm, a documentary that brings to life a little-known but important chapter of local history. The program at the Old Art Building in Leland on Wednesday, May 14, at 4 pm begin with remarks from Steve Stier, president of the Leelanau County Historic Preservation Society, who will share insights on the ongoing efforts to preserve the Poor Farm barn and the broader importance of saving historic places.

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Reclaiming the remarkable stories of Black pioneers on Little Glen

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In September 2022, two Black women from Philadelphia opened a life-changing Facebook message from a White man in Grand Rapids. Kevin Brooks reached out to cousins Carmen Hopson and Coleen Burton with his discovery that their families were inextricably linked more than 100 years ago in Empire Township. The relationship was not born of freed slaves still economically dependent on their former owners, nor were they hired live-in employees. Rather, the respective families of Joseph Payment and Anna and Levi Johnson were neighboring farm owners and pioneering homesteaders along Little Glen Lake who forged a friendship born of necessity and steeped in mutual respect. What transpired from that visit and a subsequent one evolved into the documentary The Search for Anna and Levi. Subtitled “A Lost History of Black Homesteaders in Leelanau County” it was written and directed by Joe VanderMeulen, a local science journalist and documentary filmmaker. In honor of Black History Month, a special preview screening of the film The Search for Anna and Levi will take place on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 2 pm at The Bay Theatre in Suttons Bay. 

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Bay Theatre screens new Leelanau County Poor Farm documentary

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The Bay Theatre in Suttons Bay will show Saving the Barn, a locally produced short film on the history, preservation, and future of the Leelanau County Poor Farm/County Infirmary. The screening is free and open to the public on Sunday, August 4 at 1 pm. The documentary is a multi-year project of the Leelanau County Historic Preservation Society (LCHPS) and was broadcast by WCMU Public Television in March. Following the 26-minute film, Norm Wheeler musician/storyteller and (narrator of the documentary) will moderate a panel discussion.

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Life on the Schaub Farm: Cocktail memories

The Schaub name, now ubiquitous on the peninsula, begins to appear on plat maps for Leelanau County in 1881, writes Rebecca Carlson in this second installment in a series about the legacy and impact of Leelanau County farming families. According to relatives of Marv and Edie, the Schaubs arrived from Germany landing at either the Fox or Manitou Islands before moving to the Leelanau Peninsula. These immigrants worked the lumber camps on these islands, made money and then proceeded on to the peninsula. The Homestead Act of 1862 opened the opportunity for these immigrants to own land, prosper, and raise their families. A family member stated the early Schaub settlers brought grapevines with them to plant for their first crops; later, potatoes and cherry trees were added to the farm produce.

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Historic Leelanau newspapers now available online

Kim Kelderhouse, executive director of the Leelanau Historical Society & Museum reports that historic Leelanau newspapers dating back more than 150 years are now accessible online at digmichnews.cmich.edu. This momentous accomplishment has been the dedicated effort of the Leelanau Historical Society since 2017.

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Kim Kelderhouse takes helm of Leelanau Historical Museum

The Leelanau Historical Society and Museum sits overlooking the sparkling Leland River near downtown Leland and historic Fishtown. It’s a most welcoming spot where people often congregate outside on the spacious riverside lawn, or come to see the boats that line up along the long dock. Inside, visitors may peruse collections and archives that contain more than 20,000 items. Here, one can learn of Leelanau’s fascinating maritime history, and even take a virtual tour “onboard” the steamship Leelanau.

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League of Women Voters Leelanau County celebrates Women’s History Month with March 3 virtual forum

The League of Women Voters Leelanau County invites you to participate in a virtual “Celebrate Women’s History Month Forum” on Wednesday, March 3 at noon. Click here to register in advance for this webinar.

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Leelanau Historical Society hosts Wrecks and Rescues of the Manitou Passage

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Join the Leelanau Historical Society for its next program, Wrecks and Rescues of the Manitou Passage, on Wednesday, July 18, at 4 p.m. The Leelanau Historical Society is located at 203 E. Cedar Street in Leland.

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