One Room Schoolhouses in Caledonia, Michigan ~ April 8, 2021

Caledonia has two one-room schoolhouses so I am including both of them in this post. The DeTray School at 4011 100th Street is the more interesting building (1887), even having its own outhouse (unknown if it's an original part of the school).

The tree swallows were busy in the bell tower today.

We could not get inside nor could we see through any windows, except through the one pane that was broken out.

Just a few miles away is the Barber School, opened in 1839. It was the first school in Caledonia Township (find it between Maple, Kinsey, and South Streets).

It was moved to this location in 1994 and has an old blacksmith shop as a neighbor.

There is no visibility into the school but there are no broken windows either. Caledonia is worth the drive if you'd like to see two one-room schoolhouses preserved from the 1800s.

Old Stone Foundation Discovered, Ada Drive, Ada MI ~ April 5, 2021

Today on a walk we spotted part of this, just visible from the walking path from one angle, walls that were part of an old foundation. So we climbed up for a closer look.

Some stone steps

You can walk right into the basement/lower level.

Nature will take over the walls but I'm not sure about that big hole in the ground 😮

You might never know it was there, especially as the foliage fills out. There was no trash in it so it doesn't appear that kids have found it. In the meantime, we'll check with the Ada Historical Society to see if they know anything about it. (Here is the view from the walking path.)

No. 2 Tollgate House, 5151 Marsh Road, Okemos MI

Plank roads were popular all over the U.S., beginning in the 1840s. But by the late 1850s, it was all over. A plank road between Lansing and Howell was opened around 1852 and originally had seven tollgates. This one was built around 1850 and is the only one remaining in Michigan. We visited it a few months ago.

It was moved from its original location in the 1970s, a bit of plank road history preserved.

These last three photos are from April 15, 2021. Here's to learning about history wherever you can!

 

Pickle Barrel House ~ Grand Marais MI

Once upon a time there was an author/cartoonist named William Donahey who created the Teenie Weenies, a cartoon featured in the Chicago Tribune. Donahey lent his creation to a food company that sold pickles and had an ad that included the Teenie Weenies living in a small pickle keg.

This pickle barrel house was built in 1926 for Donahey and his wife, Mary (who was also an author) and they used it as a summer cottage for about 10 years. After that it was sold, moved, used as an ice cream stand, information kiosk, and gift shop, and subsequently fell into disrepair. The Grand Marais Historical Society later took possession, restored it, and opened it as a museum around 2005.

We took a tour a few years ago and here are a few photos from that. 

It's another fun little piece of Michigan history.