Will Carleton Farm Festival
A beautiful—but really humid—day brought lots of people to the Poorhouse to enjoy the Farm Festival.
Field Trip to Broad Street Manor
With our friends from the other historical societies in Hillsdale County, we spent a memorable time with Linda Aardema and Brian McGregor. Their home is unique, the kind of place that you can never see enough of the special items they’ve collected, as well as their own artistic creations. Their gardens defy description! They are absolutely amazing, gorgeous, astonishing, breathtaking … and 1000 more adjectives that try to explain how fabulous they are.
2024 Motor Exposition
Show & Tell
Members gathered at the Poorhouse to share their treasures, followed by good conversation and snacks.
Darin Sheffer with a menu card from John & Jacqueline Kennedy’s first state dinner, given for the preseiden of Tunisia on May 3, 1961. Further research turned up pictures of the two couples.
Kevin Burkett shared two pictures, one of Ransom dunn and the other of will carleton. They were carte de viste dcv photographs taken by carson & graham photograpers in hillsdale, mi. the photo of will carleton is signed by the poet.
carol lackey brought the latest mitchell researh center newsletter, which has local history and , most importantly, a write-up of a special hearing on April 24, 2024, that will discuss the future of the Mitchell.
bob kline brought a picture of abraham lincoln taken when he was first running for president in 1860. The photographer later made prints of the photo.
bruce caswell brought a horn cutter used by his grandfather and father in their roles as large-animal veterinarians. It was extremely heavy and required that the vet secure the animal tightly so it couldn’t move.
The Poorhouse Gets Painted!
When the Will Carleton Poorhouse was deeded to the Hillsdale County Historical Society by Bob Evans Farms, Inc. in 1987, members were careful to paint with colors that would have been used in 1853. As the spark plug who got us moving on a repainting, inside and out, of the Fairgrounds Museum, Bob Kline also initiated the repainting of the Poorhouse. Thanks to a grant from Benjamin Moore Paints, Inc., the interior of the Poorhouse has received a serious upgrade. Drew Gelzer of Gelzer’s Hardware, along with Benjamin Moore representative Hannah Burski, facilitated the grant. With meticulous prep work by Willie Waite prior to painting, cracks and lumps in the walls and ceilings were eliminated, leaving a smooth surface. Thanks to Bob Kline, JoAnne Miller, Bob Sawyer and Darin Sheffer, our stuff has been moved from room to room so the painting could proceed, and the museum has been cleaned, waxed and window-washed. The first floor is furnished as it would have been in the era between 1850 and 1880. The largest bedroom upstairs is set up as a sleeping room for the paupers, the smallest as a sewing room and the third as a tribute to Will Carleton. It’s beautiful! Be sure to attend an event so you can see it.
Christmas at the Poorhouse
Despite rainy, gloomy weather, the spirit of Christmas was alive and well in the many visitors to the Poorhouse.
Renovation/Preservation/Beautification Awards
Beautification Award
Broad Street Manor
19 South Broad St. Hillsdale, Michigan
Four homes belonging to the Stock family run on the east side of Broad Street from Bacon Street. The four homes received steam heat and electricity from Stock’s Mill. Upon Harold Stock’s death, it was cut off. The third home from Bacon Street was built in 1868. Now a B&B called the Broad Street Manor, IT belongs to Linda Aardema and Brian McGregor. Four guest rooms on the second floor are named after Linda and her three sisters. Two of the bedrooms have their own bathroom, and the other two share a “Jack and Jill” bathroom. The previous owners, the Burkes, renovated the inside in the 1980s. Linda and Brian have transformed the outside into A magnificent garden that grows not just each season, but in intricacy from year to year. Both the inside and out are filled with delightful touches from sculptures to hanging bottles.
Preservation Award
Van Valkenburgh House
83 River Street Hillsdale, Michigan
Esbon Blackmar donated the original acreage on which Hillsdale College was built. As a wedding present to his daughter, Jane, and her new husband, Eli Van Valkenburgh, he and his wife built a home on Hillsdale Street that was named Ambler House. It’s now in use by Hillsdale College as the Health & Wellness Center.
Shortly after the Civil War, in which Eli served ultimately as a Major, the Van Valkenburghs purchased the half acre on which 83 River Street sits and built a smaller new house in about 1872. It consisted of two stories and presumably had a separate outhouse and cook shack. The Greek Revival addition on the west side of the house may have been designed and constructed by Ralph Jay, a Canadian-born carpenter and contractor. Jay moved to Hillsdale sometime between 1894 and 1900. He originally lived at 64 Union St., but by 1910 he’d moved to the River Street home.
The shed (with kitchen and bathroom) and garage addition on the east side of the house may date from shortly after World War I. Probably around this time the building was plumbed and electrified and had its heating system changed from steam to forced air. Adjoining this addition to the north is a large bedroom or den.
When Thomas and Celeste Kendall bought the home it had suffered from many decades of neglect and do-it-yourself repairs. They had to take much of the home back to the studs and in some cases the floor joists. They restored and renovated the interior, always with the goad of keeping as much of the house as original in appearance as possible, while updating it to 21st century living standards. They added an ensuite bathroom plus laundry room on the back of the Greek Revival addition in the same style. They replaced the chimney with a period-correct one. They didn’t use aluminum or vinyl siding. The only plastic in the restoration is the railing on the balcony on the north side of the house.
To see before and after pictures, CLICK HERE.
Fairgrounds Museum at the Fair
A mostly beautiful week brought many Fairgoers to the Peanut Tent and Museum. Many of them noticed the fresh new paint on both the inside and outside of the Museum. What they didn’t see was the amount of work went into scraping the outside and patching the inside. New ruffled curtains in the front room replaced the tired old curtains and will be joined by additional new ruffled curtains in the alcove and kitchen.
2023 Will Carleton Farm Festival
Another lovely summer day helped make for a pleasant time at the Poorhouse.
Second Annual Motor Exposition
A beautiful summer day brought out cars and visitors. Many enjoyed the exhibits in the Barn Museum, a trip to the past in the Poorhouse, delicious baked goods, music and lunch.
