Work Bees
Our on-going weekly work bees is where the majority of the work is accomplished. Join us most Thursday mornings 9 to noon. for coffee and an opportunity to preserve the past. Please stop by on Thursday mornings to volunteer your time in support of the Society.
Log Cabin Day – Last Sunday in June
On December 9, 1986, the Michigan Legislature passed a resolution proclaiming Log Cabin Day on June 28, 1987 for the Sesquicentennial. On that day there was a tour of seven Berrien County log cabins along with four other Log Cabin Day events in the state. Because of public response, the Legislature passed a bill to make Log Cabin Day an annual event on the last Sunday of June. Gov. James J. Blanchard signed the bill on June 15, 1989. Michigan is the only state that has an annual statewide log cabin festival. Of the hundreds of log cabins which have been on the annual Log Cabin Day parade since 1987, at least seven were built before 1840. This event is very popular with both the young and old and is held in The Historic Village @ Bailey Memorial Park. Demonstrations of the primitive arts, story telling, banjo music, and the fur trading era are a few of the annual events during Richmond’s Log Cabin Day.
Richmond Good Old Days – The Weekend after Labor Day
All buildings and gardens are open for visitors during this weekend. Docents are available to discuss the history and to answer questions. Various demonstrations, the “Stuff Sale”, and the popular Strawberry Shortcake Social are highlights at the Village at this time. Admission is free; however, donations are appreciated.
Historic Sleigh We Restored
“Restoring Richmond’s history one piece at a time” describes the work on the beautiful Nineteenth Century sleigh. In the 1960s, local businessman Charles Heath purchased a sleigh that had been used on Mackinac Island. For many years the sleigh was stored in a barn, and in 2011 the Historical Society began the restoration. The project, which took nearly 2 years to complete and over $5000.00 of donated money, was spearheaded by member Doug Loagan. Currently the sleigh is pulled by a team of Haflinger horses owned by Ron and Jim McKiernan and is used to transport the Grand Marshall of the Good Old Days Parade. During Winter Festival in February, the Society offers sleigh rides around the park. Because the sleigh is equipped with optional wheels, it can be used with or
without snow.
Current Museum Display
Our current display features “Richmond: Then and Now”.
It is a collection of photographs of Richmond from the 1800s to present day. The museum is open most Thursday mornings during the weekly work bee from 9 to 11 a.m. and before, during, and after our programs and events. See calendar for programs & events.
2020 RAHGS GOALS
In order for RAHGS to accomplish these tasks and goals, volunteer help is needed.
- Install informational plaque for depot, school, and barn (similar to cabin plaque)
- Record names from the 1890s quilt
- Organize the history of RAHGS
- Continue restoration of RR hand car and motor car
- Install and connect electricity in the barn
- Electrify the RR crossing signal
- Replace damaged wood on exterior of school and depot
- Reseal schoolhouse floor
- Seal or replace bottom of garage doors
- Move the donated windmill
- Fix leak in school roof
- Recruit help for yard maintenance
- Design plans for filling station/garage/storage building
- Create equipment inventory
- Expand docent program
- Paint exterior of museum
- Complete cabin interior painting
- Continue seeking grants for shed construction
- Apply waterproofing/sealant to cedar shake roofs
- Update RAHGS website
- Update RAHGS brochure
