Don't want to miss this one!
Limited tickets available

Saturday, July 19, 2014
11:00 A.M.
Behind the Scenes in the
Red House Kitchen
$85 per person
Guests at the Red House - the Douglas home of Ken
Carls and Jim Schmiechen - count on tasty fare around the big dining
room table.
This time, join Ken in the kitchen and observe as he
prepares a selection of Red House favorites. Enjoy a "small plates"
luncheon of the day's fare - and experience dishes to add to your
own cooking repertoire. Emphasis will be on fresh, seasonal,
easy-to-make dishes for casual dining.

At his best,
Ken Carls from above at the Red House.
To reserve your spot for this Dine Around event,
REPLY to this email and we'll be in touch.
Mark your calendars for these upcoming Dine Around
events.
Saturday, September 20 - 7:00 P.M.
Cocktails at the Historic Riley-
Slack-Ellis House
$50 per person
This is a unique opportunity for SDHS Dine Around
guests to get a glimpse inside the well-preserved Riley-Slack-Ellis
House, built ca. 1880 by carpenter and joiner Thomas A. Riley. Join
hosts Michigan Supreme Court Justice Bridget Mary McCormack and her
husband Steven Croley for a cocktail party in their historic home.
Riley was killed in the Civil War, and his widow,
Fidelia, continued to live in the house after she married another
Civil War veteran, Anthony Slack. Subsequently, their daughter,
married to Claude Ellis, a lake ship's captain, continued to occupy
the house, thus keeping it in the same family for generations.
Saturday, October 4 - 6:00 PM
An evening at DollyBrook Resort
$50 per person
DollyBrook Resort is a 2011 Heritage Preservation Award winner and a
must see for everyone. Park once and stroll the nine cottages at
your own pace. Each cottage will serve cocktails and one of the
following: Appetizers, Soups, Salads, or Dessert. Mix and mingle with
friends and enjoy each cottage's fabulously unique decor featuring
local artifacts and antique. The cottages will be hosted by
different members of the SDHS doing the cooking and serving up the
cocktails. Make this event a "must do" on your list of fall
activities.
Saturday, October 25 - 7:30 PM
Halloween Bash
at the Old School House
$50 per person
The annual Halloween party has become a favorite for many members
and friends of the Society. This year's party will be hosted by
Sharon Kelly and Janie Flemming. Don your costume (or not) and come
to the Old School House for drinks and dinner preceding the
fantastic Douglas Halloween Parade.
If you would like to reserve
your spot for one of these upcoming Dine Around
events, REPLY to this email and we'll be in touch.
More 2014 events to be
announced soon ---
2014 Historical
Chronicle

The new Historical Chronicle has been printed and is available
around town including at the Pump House Museum and the Old School
House. Pick up your copy and happy summer reading.
Upcoming 2014 Monthly
Programs


Click on an image to see a higher resolution copy or
wait for the post card coming to a mail box near you.
Notes From the Gallery
Recently we received two very interesting mid-century
prints done by Ox Bow artists/teachers. Alice and Mike Mason were
active at the art colony in the 1950s where they worked as print
makers.
"Cat Lost in the Woods", a print by Mike Mason, is a
brightly colored study in abstraction. It was probably done out at
Ox Bow during one of the Summers when he worked there.

"In the Deep Woods" by Alice Mason, is a more
traditional exploration of the landscape, with its mushrooms and
natural colors. This print was exhibited in 1955 at the Chicago
Institute.

Both of these wonderful works were given to the
Society by Chris Spencer and Charles Aschbrenner of Holland.
It is great to be able to add mid-century pieces to
our collection that help us to understand what was going on in the
local art world in the period after World War 2 when modernism was
becoming mainstream.
Thank you Chris and Charles for the gift!
submitted by Ken Kutzel
Third Graders Visit OSH Lifeboat Display

Tour guide Jim Schmiechen had them
first pound on the boat and had them identify the material, and
then guess why iron?--- then figure out what is inside of the
sealed compartments on each end. Yes, air.
However, they guessed that the big
wave hitting the Chicora on the mural was 100 feet!
Then off to view the totem and the
Mt Baldhead viewing station. Now we know it will hold 33 kids and
6 adults at one time.
Holland public school 3rd
graders at Douglas History Center (Old School House) toured the
shipwreck/life saving boat barn viewing the oldest U. S life
saving boat in America. An all iron boat which was brought to
Saugatuck in 1854.
Looking for a fun volunteer
opportunity? The SDHS program group is looking for persons
interested in being a tour guide for the History Center,
Back-In-Time Garden and Boathouse. Scripts available. Contact Jim
Schmiechen
james.schmiechen@gmail.com or 269-414-9199.
submitted by Jim Schmiechen

Welcome from Jack Sheridan
and Chris Yoder, leaders of the Society Family History Group. The
Group’s regular meeting schedule is the first and third Thursday
of every month. Upcoming meetings are:
Thursday, June 19
Thursday, July 10 [due to July 4 holiday]
Thursday, July 24
Please visit us to see what
we are all about and most importantly, share "lessons learned"
about the many tools available for family history research.
The major tool we utilize is
access to ANCESTRY.COM. The size and number of their
databases is staggering. Of greatest value - information found in
their databases can be easily attached to your family tree.
In addition to their vast
store of data, they continue to grow and improve their business. A
recent innovation enables the linkage of Family Tree Maker
software that you own at home with software and data bases on the
Ancestry.com web site. This means that your at home family tree
may be automatically updated with the same tree built by you on
the Ancestry.com website. Please come to a meeting to see how this
works.

Remember, your family
history does not have to have any connection to the
Saugatuck-Douglas area !!!
Not sure how to get going?
Let us provide a helpful jump start by recording what you know
about your parents, grandparents, and great grandparents and send
it along for a review by Chris Yoder or myself. The snail mail
address is SDHS Family History, Box 617 Douglas, Michigan 49406,
or email a copy to either
cyoder@tds.net or
jack.sheridan@gmail.com.
We will soon be back to you
with readily found data and with suggestions on the next steps to
take. Further help is readily available from the Family History
group. Again, the only requirement is membership in the SDHS.
Mayflower ancestor,
Revolutionary War vet, great grandparents? Still wondering?
Questions/comments/advice/needs - contact
jack.sheridan@gmail.com
269 857-7144 Chris Yoder
cyoder@tds.net 269 857-4327.
This newsletter column is produced by Jack Sheridan


Click on the picture for a
higher resolution copy
Saugatuck, the Weekend
Getaway
Fifteen years into the
twentieth century, the Big Pavilion was on a run - built at
the right time, in the right place, an awesome dance hall with
big city orchestras, brand new electric lighting (colors
even), and most importantly, eager customers looking for a
good time. For a small admission charge gawkers and hopeful
wallflowers could watch from seats behind the railing. Dancers
bought tickets for eight cents each or seven for fifty cents.
Deac Weed and Frederick Limouze - managers, part owners and
masters of ceremony - ran the operation and the dance floor
with an iron hand.
Unattached males and
females in particular were subjected to strict house rules of
decorum. Dancing partners had to maintain a "proper" distance.
Buttoned suit coats were a requirement. On busy nights, the
length of each dance was monitored by Weed with a stopwatch.
Innovative and new entertainment schemes were devised. Theme
dances and parties were favorites. Prizes were plentiful for
winners. On the floor in front of the stage were painted
numbers used at special dances. When the music stopped dancers
would rush - ala musical chairs - to get a number. Popular
parties were the annual Farm and Barn Party, Mardi Gras night,
Ticklish Party (feather ticklers for all) and the Pajama
Party.
Chicago was a boat ride
away and did they ride! What a way to find a sweetheart. Early
on the Crawford Line and then the Indiana Transportation
Company ran a regular schedule and docked next to the Big
Pavilion. At first they came by boat and later by bus and car.
The weekend in Saugatuck was a getaway institution that would
last for fifty years.

Click on the picture for a
higher resolution copy
This newsletter column is written by Jack Sheridan.
Dr.
Edward Stanley Drew
 |
Dr. Edward Stanley Drew, a
member of the Society, passed away recently.
Click
HERE for more details. |
Welcome New Members
We would like to welcome the following new members who have joined the
Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society since the last newsletter.
l
Bridget McCormack, Ann Arbor, MI
l
Gary Binns & Gary Moredock, Fennville, MI
l
Robert & Laura Godfrey, Saugatuck, MI
l
Susan & Thomas Burgin, Saugatuck, MI
l
Tim Shea, Champaign, IL & Douglas, MI
l
Katherine Cangelosi, Grand Rapids & Douglas, MI
l
Linda & Matthew McWebb, Saugatuck, MI
and the following members
have upgraded to
Life Membership
l
Mark Davis & Nate Keag
Drone Takes Off

Starting this
Sunday, June 22, a new ten minute drone video survey will
accompany the Dunelands exhibit at the History Museum.
The drone and
video were created by Jeff Zita for the museum exhibition team.
Jeff is the son of Society Board member, Renee Zita.
provided by Jim Schmiechen