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Mission
Statement
The mission
of the Hanover-Horton Area Historical Society is to immerse visitors into
the past by illustrating life in rural America through its exhibits and
events.
About
Us
In 1977 the
Hanover-Horton Area Historical Society was formed and incorporated. At that
time the main concern of the founding group was the care and preservation
of a unique and extensive collection of antique reed organs belonging to a
local resident who was seeking an enduring organization to assure the
perpetuation of his collection.
With foresight and
dedication the historical society assumed the charge to preserve not only
the organ collection but also to expand it and acquire other local
artifacts and information. A year after it's formation the society
contracted with the local school system to lease the old Hanover High
School building, built in 1911 on an original 1874 school site. The
building had sat in disrepair for many years and it's rehabilitation
presented a very significant challenge. Later the Society purchased the school
building and an adjacent school bus garage that has been renovated to house
offices, a meeting room, an organ repair workshop area and an artifacts
storage area. In 2000 the old school building was designated a State of
Michigan Historic Site.
During the past 27
years the society has worked diligently to repair and maintain the
building, care for the organ collection and collect other local historical
artifacts. The organ collection has grown to over 130 working organs that
are displayed in the gymnasium. The museum has restored one of the
classrooms to represent a circa 1900 classroom, one of the upstairs
classrooms houses a typical turn of the century home interior, a third
classroom is currently being refurbished to house a genealogical and
research library.
In 2000, the community
undertook the formidable task of raising $180,000 to purchase 82 acres of
farmland adjacent to the museum. We now have achieved that goal and are
beginning to develop a historical agricultural park that has hosted many
Historical Society events during 2003 and was the site of the Land 'O Lakes
Boy Scout Council's 2004 Spring Camporee.
Since the aquisition of
the farm acreage we have Grown corn, soy beans, wheat and oats. The acreage
has also been the site for the annual Car Show, the annual Rust N' Dust
Days Farm Show, The staging of the 4th of July Parade and the annual Fall
Festival.
Become a Part of our History
We are selling engraved Bricks for the Conklin Historical
Walkway. The bricks make a great memorial, gift of recognition, appreciation or celebration. To purchase your brick(s),
go to Bricks
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