Howell Area Historical Society



Summer 2019 Issue 2 Howell Area Historical Society128 Wetmore St. Howell, MichiganHAHS Caboose & Depot Museum P.O. Box 154, Howell, MI 48844 Phone: 517-548-6876 howellareahistoricalsociety@ The next big event for Howell is the Melon Festival with HAHS being a part of it!26085802222500Besides having a car show and an interactive presentation of the telegraph operating in the depot, on Sunday, the 5th Michigan Regimental Band will be performing a one- hour Civil War concert on the grounds of the museum. In addition, the caboose will be open for tours to see the interior and the progress that has been made in its restoration.__________________________________________________________________________________________PRESIDENT’S MESSAGECan you believe it's July already?! Neither can I. This summer is flying by. With all the rain we have had, our flowers at the depot,?graciously donated by Trustee Geraldine Moen, look great! Joyce Vitez has diligently kept them watered and weeded. Trustee Ed Vitez has been busy laying bricks near the entrances to the caboose. He has also been doing the back -breaking work of shoring up the fence and ground on the north side of the caboose to prevent further erosion, and to create a good place to put a ladder when painting .?Treasurer Don Maiolatesi has been working hard preparing for the car show, and has confirmed that the location will be its usual spot on Grand River near the courthouse. Have you pre-registered? Would you like to be a sponsor? Your business name will appear on several banners, all show advertisements, and on the aluminum dash plaques provided to show entrants. It is YOU who keep this society going year to year. We made it 50 years thus far, it is my goal to make it the NEXT 50 years.?As far as other projects, Spencer Schubbe is completing his period-correct restoration of the depot's three telegraph lines! This is absolutely a must-see. Spencer's intimate knowledge of telegraph systems was exactly what was needed for the station master's room! He took one look at both the 3 holes in the station master's desk and an early 1900's photo of the depot, and he immediately noticed the station had 3 telegraph lines coming in from the pole! One for the railroad, one for Wells Fargo, and one for the local residents’ use. You have to see the excellent work Spencer has done, from donating telegraph "keys", to period correct wiring and junction box. Railroad buffs and amateur radio fans will both enjoy his excellent recreation of a vital part of the depot's history that has been somewhat overlooked in years past. Summer 2019 Issue Page 2 In May, during the Food Truck Rally, Secretary Mary Shaughnessy, Treasurer Don Maiolatesi, Trustee Ed Grima and wife, Rita, Trustee Ed Vitez and Joyce, along with VP Mike and Tammy Mason all got together to run our little "junk sale" of donated items. Though the weather was not the best, we sold $237 of items, the rest of which was donated to the Salvation Army. Thanks to those who donated, those who shopped, and those who hauled the leftovers away! We may be few in number, but we are a dedicated bunch.?Last but not least, we would like to thank a possible donor for his gracious donation of the paint to repaint our beloved depot museum. Now that we have access to the paint, we need some bodies to do the work! Do you have any interest in helping us paint the depot? Do you have a business or group of people who might want to donate to the community? We would be eternally grateful. Speaking of eternally grateful, we cannot thank the Robert and Maxine Parker foundation enough for their gracious donation that allowed us to replace the HVAC system in the depot that was more than 25 years old. Proper temperature control is vital for preservation of our collection of state and local artifacts that make up our shared history in Howell. What makes the Parker foundation unique, is the fact they concentrate on our LOCAL community. Not Wayne county. Not Traverse city. Not Washington D.C., but Howell and Livingston County specifically. We are a better people for having Robert and Maxine Parker as such sincere and generous citizens of our area. I only wish I had a chance to meet and thank them in person.?right762000Spencer & Evelyn Ed Vitez Joyce VitezHappy summer! -Rudy?_Add us as your donation place on Amazon Smile Summer 2019 Issue 2 Page 3 SPECIAL THANKSThe Howell Area Historical Society would like to thank Carol and Danny of Spirit of Livingston for printing this newsletter.They go above and beyond in their unwavering support of the Society. Spirit is the place to go when purchasing a varsity jacket, hat, shirt, awards, printing, and much more. The store is located near the airport at 3280 W. Grand River in Howell. Check it out. Thank you to TCF Bank of Hartland for allowing one of its special employees, Kerry Maiolatesi, to assist the Society during the May 18, 2019 yard sale.Kerry was extremely helpful. She, along with Joyce and Ed Vitez, Tammy and Mike Mason, and Ed and Rita Grima, helped make our sale a success. Because of all of these workers, our sale went off smoothly and efficiently, with some chuckles thrown in. Chuckles always help on a workday.We thank the family and friends who donated items to the sale. Thanks, also, to all of the fine people who shopped that day. You helped us keep the Depot running. We appreciate you all!!__________________________________________________________________________________________Thank you very, very much to the George W. Lee Civil War Roundtable of Howell for the unexpected, but wonderful donation to the Society. We sincerely appreciate your kindness to us. Thank you.Thanks to Ed Vitez, also, for suggesting the Depot Museum as a recipient.Last, but not least, we would like to thank Spencer Schubbe, and his able helper, Evelyn Malloy, for all of their hard work in the installation of the telegraph system in the Depot. Spencer is a telegraphy expert who saw a need for an accurate telegraph model in the Depot. The system is located in the Stationmaster’s room, where it would have been back in the late 1800’s- early 1900’s. Spencer has installed three keys in the stationmaster’s desk, just as there would have been in days past. The unit, when activated, will recreate the original sounds of messages arriving over the telegraph. This is a hands-on system that children (And some adults) will delight in. Come visit and learn all about the telegraph from days gone by. MUSEUM VISITING HOURSCall 517-548-6876 for private tours or wedding info (Ask for Mary)The Depot and caboose will be open each Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 2 P.M. through October 27, 2019, except for major holidaysPlease consider using your Kroger Rewards card, and Smile Amazon to benefit the Depot2019 Board of DirectorsPresident: Rudy Rudolph Secretary: Mary ShaughnessyTreasurer: Don MaiolatesiTrustee: Gerri Moen Trustee: Ed Vitez Trustee: Ed GrimaSummer 2019 Issue 2 Page 42019 CAR SHOWSummer and the Howell Melonfest would just not be the same without the annual Classic Car Show. Each year, the Howell Area Historical Society sponsors the event. It takes place on the east end of Grand River in front of the historic County Court House. The event starts at 10 am and ends at 2 PM. August 17, 2019.To enter your classic car on the day of the event will cost $15, and $10 in advance. The first fifty entrants are given a goody bag with numerous gifts inside, including a dash plaque. The people walking through the cars will vote for their favorite classic vehicle. A first, second and third-place plaque will be awarded at the 2 PM completion.The Museum is proud to sponsor this event. We look forward to seeing all the classic cars and their owners. Come one, come all. Summer 2019 Issue 2 Page 5 Occasionally I am asked why we are not restoring our G.T.W. Caboose to look as it did when it was built in 1888. The reason is due to the major structural modifications performed on the caboose by Grand Trunk Western in 1944. It was decided that our efforts in time and money would best be utilized to restored it as close as possible to what it looked like in 1944. Then, using Grand Trunk Western’s construction drawings as a guide, the restoration team got to work. Now after a tremendous amount of “Blood, Sweat & Tears,” as well as time (nine years) and money, the caboose is 85% complete.Now, you can step into “my” G.T.W.Caboose, and see it as it would have looked when it operated for the Grand Trunk Railroad during WWII.Your HAHS Conductor,Ed VitezSummer 2019 Issue 2 Page 6SPECIAL EVENTThe 5th Michigan Regimental Band will appear at the Howell Area Historical Society on Sunday, August 18, 2019 at 1:00 P.M. If you want to see a Civil War Band playing authentic songs of the period with old-fashioned instruments, this is the place to be. The group will play pre-1865 compositions on antique sax-horns and wood- rope tension drums that were the type played during that era. The group performs at Civil War re-enactments, schools, historical events, and parades. The band members will be dressed in Civil War attire, which includes the ladies’ beautiful dresses. It will be a stirring performance, and, one that you will not want to miss. Come down to the Depot, take a break in the shade, and listen to history.2280285121221500CGCome to the Depot, and go back in time, if only for an afternoon. Summer 2019 Issue 2 Page 7 SCHOOL TOURSThank you to the elementary school teachers and parents for sharing their second-grade students, for a while, at the Depot during the annual school tours. The kids are the highlight of our year. They bring such energy with their smiles, and their questions. Believe it or not, we love their questions. It shows that they’re paying attention to our history a bit. They were attentive and very polite. I think that the highlight of their day was being released from the docent dialogue in the caboose to see an oncoming train on the tracks behind the Depot. No docent can compete with that. Next year, there will be the interactive telegraph exhibit, which was recently completed by Spencer Schubbe. The kids, and many adults will enjoy trying their hand at telegraphy. They will learn how the telegraph was an important communication tool for the railroad and the general public before the telephone became a household item.__________________________________________________________________________________________________ QUESTERSThank you goes to the Questers #261 of Howell for their donation following their tour of the Depot. It’s always a pleasure to hang with these ladies. 95059510604500 May 1, 2019Support HAHS with your membership or donation. Not a Member? Join today! Your support is vital to the preservation of local history. Membership Year – January 1, 2020– December 31, 2020Name______________________________________________ Phone_____________________Address_______________________________________________________________________City ______________________________________State______________ Zip_______________E-mail_________________________________________________________________________ Memberships: $15 Single $25 Family $500 Lifetime Donations: $10 $25 other ____________ 4724400115570Howell Area Historical SocietyP.O. Box 154Howell, Michigan 48840Howell Area Historical SocietyP.O. Box 154Howell, Michigan 4884 Howell Area Historical Societ ................
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