LOG MARKS Sanford Historical Society www.sanfordhist.org Facebook: Sanford Centennial Museum Sanford Historical Society Board Officers President: Mary Herkner Vice President: Jan Biggs Secretary: Linda Fisher/Sue Muto Treasurer: Kendra Melchi Trustees Ruth Ann Nagle Jeff Bowen Karen Ketover V O L U M E 3 4, I S S U E 3 JUNE, 2017 Sanford Centennial Museum resides at 2222 Smith Street in Sanford. Mailing address: Sanford Historical Society, P.O. Box 243 Sanford, MI 48657 Email: logmarks@tds.net Phone: 989 687-9048 Celebrate Log Cabin Day on June 25, 2017 Come celebrate Log Cabin Day with us as we honor the history and craftsmanship of our own authentic Smith log cabin! It began in 1989 when Michigan's governor signed a bill to make Log Cabin Day an annual event on the last Sunday of June. The winners are selected for the 2017 Log Cabin Day Art Contest. (See story below.) Art teacher Candee Mashue is standing in front on the left holding the first-place picture. The winning artists are as follows: First Place-Haley (not shown), Second Place-Cylus, Third Place-Makenzie, and the two Honorable Mentions-Kameryn and Jaylyn (not shown, picture held by school principal Josh Hook). 2017 Log Cabin Day Art Contest Winners The Sanford Centennial Museum recently hosted the 2017 Log Cabin Day Art Contest on a beautiful spring morning. Pictured above are the winners, all second graders from Meridian Elementary School, and their parents. This year s winners were selected from a field of 100 entries. Each winner received a ribbon, certificate of appreciation, and tickets to be used at the annual Founders Day event in September. Judging the entries for the Society were Nick Kraemer, Sue and Tom Muto, Barb Dinsmore, and Karen Ketover. All the entries and winning pictures are now exhibited in the Felix School for the museum summer season. Additional assistance arranging the display was provided by Donna Goodwin and Kendra Melchi. We thank Candee Mashue for her many years of support for the art contest and wish her well on her retirement at the end of the school year. Built in 1879, the Smith log cabin was moved to the museum grounds in 1971, and a kitchen was added in 2010. Our Smith cabin, equipped with period furnishings, is featured on June 25, 2017. Refreshments are served and special events offered, providing educational and reminiscent fun for our visitors.
LOG MARKS June, 2017 Page 2 June SHS Membership Meeting Welcome New SHS Members The June membership meeting of the Sanford Historical Society promises another outstanding presentation by our scheduled History Moment Speaker, Kyle Bagnall. Kyle is the Manager of Historical Programs for the Chippewa Nature Center and will be presenting his multimedia PowerPoint program, In the Steps of Michigan Surveyors: 1805 1855. We would like to recognize and welcome the newest members of the Sanford Historical Society. They are: Bud and Gayle Swanson, Vickie Maxwell, Jeananne Whitmer, Ella Martyn, Nancy Bowland, Kevin and Tonya Shufelt, Patrick and Sherry Darby, Thomas and Wendy Rice, Jolly and Diana Richardson, Charlie Trumble, Marlene McDaris, Dylan Maxwell, Jeff and Belinda Lyons, Peggy and Tim McMann. Founders Day 2017 T-shirts Before local lands were settled, they first had to be surveyed. Hear amazing tales of Michigan surveyors traversing wild lands as they completed their work. We ll travel from the wilderness of early Oakland County to the far reaches of the Upper Peninsula together. Kyle Bagnall The program should last about 45 minutes and will be followed by time for questions and answers. Admission and parking are free. This meeting of the Sanford Historical Society will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21st, 2017 in the historic 1870s railroad depot on the museum grounds. You don t have to be a member to attend everyone is welcome! Save These Dates Log Cabin Day June 25 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Train Day Aug. 5 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Founders Day Sept. 9 & 10 Early to 6 p.m. Santa Express Dec. 12, 13 & 14 3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. The new 2017 Founders Day T-shirts are now available at the museum. This year s edition features the Railway Express Agency wagon that is stationed on the north side of the railroad depot. The Founders Day T-shirt is a fun and collectable item from the Sanford Historical Society and serves as one of our best fundraising items. We would like to thank our sponsors for making these shirts possible each year. 2017 Membership and Board Meeting Dates Membership Meetings Board Meetings June 21st 13th July 19th 11th August 16th 1st September 20th 5th October 18th 10th November 15th 8th December na 5th
LOG MARKS June, 2017 Page 3 Summer Homecomings By Rick E. Goodwin March 22, 2017 The Sanford area has held celebrations of some sort for a number of years. if that wasn t enough, Dale clinched another prize too catching the biggest carp of the day, a 16 ½ pound monster that put all the others far behind. Woodrow Raymond won a prize for the small fish. Like any king, Dale had the right to name his own consort and he picked for Queen the girl he knew the best, his mother Katherine Riggie. Dale s crown was placed on his head by Edwin Hess, Sanford Chamber of Commerce president, and Dale in turn, officiated at his mother s coronation. Other events of the day included a canoe race by members of Midland Explorer post, Mark Valerio, and Don Harbron won first prize and Jim Zemba and John Ladd paced second in the race. There were double rowboat races, a balloon blowing contest won by Danny Johndro, a whistling competition won by James Wishowski and three 50-yard dash races winners being Ed Robinson, John Furst and Charlotte Marshall. 1967 Sanford Homecoming Queen & Court. Queen Ann Calkins being crowned by Don Pickelman in front of the Bigelow Drug Store. The queen s court consisted of Donella Render (left) and Ruth Ann Hartshorn (right). The man with the microphone has not been identified (any ideas?). Photo from the Sanford Historical Society photo archive. There is written evidence in the Midland papers of 4 th of July celebrations in the early 1900s. In the late 1940s and 1950s the Sanford community held homecoming celebrations in the summer at the corner of Center Street and M-30. This area was the Ferro property at the time and was later subdivided and is filled with homes today. A story from the Bay City Times newspaper in June of 1955 tells the details of the celebration that year: Sanford Homecoming. For the seventh consecutive year, Sanford Annual Homecoming was staged Sunday at Ferro s Field on the banks of Sanford Lake with some 1,500 participants. There were pie-eating contest, three-legged races, greased pole climbing competitions and all the rest of the beloved features of homecomings everywhere, the coronation of the Carp King climaxing the day s program. It was a big day in the life of 15-year old Dale Riggie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Riggie who reside on M-30 just south of here. In the first place, he came out first in the pie -eating contest, and then followed up that achievement with the biggest carp catch- 32- of any made during the day by the hundreds of fisherman out to win the title. As Besides Dale, pie eating honors were won by Clarence Wiles and Butch Smith. Among the spectacular events of the day was a balloon ascension staged by Claude Shaffer who parachuted to earth from a point about 250 feet above the ground. Crash boats were on hand to pick him up if he landed in Sanford Lake. Although his balloon came down in the water, Shaffer was able to land on dry land. Although all prizes won during the day were either cash or merchandise certificates, the most lucrative projects of the day were the greased-pole climbing and the straw stack hunt. In the former category, five dollar bills perched atop a greased pole were retrieved by John Furst, Don O Connor and Alvin Getgood. In the straw stack contest, for youngsters one to six, a total of 100 pennies were there for the finding. Robert McNett, Ron Moore, Jake Worsley, Jim Moe, Ron Fauver, Ed Robinson, Ed Billingsley and Carol Marshall staged a water safety exhibition. In the amateur motor boat races, Stan Wishowski, Ray Mollak and Harley Penney came in first, second and third, respectively. The Homecoming program was under the sponsorship of the Sanford Chamber of Commerce, Mrs. Robert Marshall serving as general chairman and Mrs. Edward Miller as publicity director. Mary Marshall directed a pantomime show put on by the Sanford TeenAge Club. Program activities were handled by Edward Miller, William Sorg and John Rhodes. Cooperating in the project were members of Thomas-Daniels-Hand Post 443, American Legion. Sharing the MC assignment were Frank Mitchell and Nelson Bradley, Jr.
LOG MARKS June, 2017 Page 4 The Sanford Area Chamber of Commerce took the lead in the 1960s and a homecoming celebration was held each June for a number of years. The festivities usually included a street carnival (circus rides) and the naming of a homecoming queen and court. The Sanford Historical Society continues to hold its Founders Day celebration each September. The celebration is set for September 9 th and 10 th this year. Centennial Time Capsule By Rick E. Goodwin April 19, 2017 First of all, thanks to those who had the vision to bury a time capsule for future generations to open and explore and wonder about how it used to be in the old days of 1970. Saginaw Road closed in downtown Sanford by the carnival set up for homecoming in the mid 1960s. Photo from a Facebook post by Denise Cole. The year 1970 was special as the Sanford area (including Averill, Edenville, Hope and Olson) celebrated its centennial June 18th to 21st. The circus that year was set up on the flats near the dam. The community was filled with pride and various activities as this special milestone (100 th birthday) was celebrated. It s just my luck. My timing isn t right. I missed the burial of the Centennial Time Capsule at 3:30 p.m. June 20, 1970 in the Sanford Village Park as part of the Sanford Area Centennial celebration festivities. And I m surely not going to live until 2070 when the time capsule is scheduled to be unearthed. I suppose that is true for most of you reading this story. We wish them well in June of 2070. Yet to be uncovered by the written word of 1970 is what they entombed in the time capsule. We do know that the time capsule itself was provided by Ware-Smith Funeral Home of Midland and it was designed by Eldon Fogelsonger. Inscribed on the top cover of the time capsule were these words: This Time Capsule Buried June 1970 As Part Of The Sanford Area Centennial Is Not To Be Exhumed Until June 2070 Eagle Triplex Burial Vault Fogelsonger Vault Co. Ware Smith Funeral Home Buried off the back of a flatbed truck, the time capsule was placed at the base of the flag pole in the Sanford Village Park. Its burial spot is marked today with a granite monument. Verlan Calkins sporting his centennial beard in June of 1970. Photo from a Facebook post by his daughter Ann (Calkins) Rocha. The summer homecomings faded away with the last one being held sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s. Another run was taken at a summer celebration in July of 2009 and June of 2010. It was called the Freedom Festival. The Freedom Festival ran a couple of years before it too, faded into history. There s plenty of Sanford history yet to be written before the exhuming of the time capsule in June of 2070. The next step is the Sanford Sesquicentennial of 2020 (our 150 th birthday). Let s hope they throw a party in 2070 for the 200 th birthday of Sanford befitting a great place to call home.
LOG MARKS June, 2017 Page 5 Artifact Corner By Mary Hughes The One Genuine All Steel, Triple Power Stump Puller with Grooved Drum, Double Safety Ratchet, Throwing Out Cam and Hand Wheel, describes the Hercules Stump Puller from the Hercules Manufacturing Company, Centerville, Iowa, U.S.A., and we have one. We ve been blessed with two stump pullers and the Hercules is our most recent donation by the Lewis Family. It has been mounted behind the depot by the hard work of Charles Dinsmore and John Billingsley, complete with cables donated by Lynn Kinard. attempt with the weak, impractical machines that haven t strength enough for a really sizable stump. Price complete with all the accessories..$264.00 for the Triple Power Model. (From the drawings in the catalog we have the Triple Power Model.) The plain one went for $219.50 and the Plain Pattern suitable for single and double power was $239.00. Other models went as high as $418.00. An article in 2008 by the Daily Iowegian reports that In 1905 Hercules built the first steel stump puller ever made. Since the new factory was built, steel was used exclusively, and the casting was done locally. The steel pullers gained steadily in popularity until, by 1916, a new record was made every month in sales. In one test by the University of Minnesota in 1915, 1261 stumps were pulled in 9 days using the No. 1 Triple Puller. This machine became known as the best the world over. The Hercules people wanted their potential customers to know that their financial standing was solid and they provided a bank letter for your viewing right in their catalog. This was to show customers how reliable their company was. Some other stump pullers of the time were unreliable and in hopes of relieving customers of any doubt, they shared bank letters and the promise that if this wasn t enough, they d furnish further proof. So confident in the product, they offered a 30-day free trial, money-back guarantee. B.A. Fuller even boasted he d like to take you out in a field, and pull some 18-inch and 24-inch white oak, and hickory stumps out of clay soil, just to show you how great this product was. Then there are all the letters from happy customers he d love to share too! If any casting breaks within three years from date of sale, they agreed to replace it, placing it free on board cars at their factory. All they ask is that you send them the broken piece. With a Hercules Stump Puller you only needed one anchor stump while other stump pullers required two. This is a three machines in one stump puller. You can have single, double and triple power all from the same machine and a minute or two will make the complete change. It will do every kind of stump pulling that any other machine will do and work that it would be folly to Hercules Manufacturing evolved from a patented stump puller created in 1901 by Miles Batemen and B.A. Fuller. In 1911 The largest plant of its kind in the world was built. Shown above is a 1915 postmarked postcard of the plant. The company evolved and changed over time producing equipment for ships, mine and submarine net buoys, castings for coast guard cutters and mine layers, winches for crawler tractors for the Corps of Engineers and steel valves for freighters during WWII. They were also producing wood carts for temporary structures for housing troops, wood tables with welded steel legs and drawers for shell assembly, parachute packing etc. in the war effort. The leadership stayed in the Barney family going from father to son until late in the war. The Hercules Manufacturing Company had a long run until it was sold, and then went into bankruptcy in 1945.
Sanford Historical Society P.O. Box 243 Sanford, MI 48657 The Sanford Historical Society meets on the third Wednesday of the month from April through November at 7:00 PM at the Sanford Village Hall, 106 Lincoln Street or in the Historic Depot on the grounds of the Museum. Members and visitors are always welcome. Annual membership dues are $10 for an individual and $15 for a family. Dues may be paid on our web site, by mail, or in person at the museum during the season, at any meeting, or at Founders Day. MEMBERSHIP DONATION VOLUNTEER Please review your mailing label on this newsletter. The number in the corner represents the last year that you paid dues. If you owe dues, please clip this coupon, fill it out, and mail in your membership dues so you may continue to maintain your membership. Email addresses are greatly appreciated, it helps to keep costs down and we only use emails for newsletters and special announcements. Name: Street Address: City/State/Zip: / / Phone: Email Address: Check Box or Boxes: $10/year Individual $15/year Family $ Donation Founders Day Sponsorship I would like to volunteer Enclosed $: Please mail new or renewal memberships to: Sanford Historical Society, P.O. Box 243, Sanford, MI 48657