People celebrate history on Old Fashion Day

By David Hutchinson

The Clare County Historical Society held its annual Old Fashion Day celebration at the History Park on Saturday, September 28. It was estimated that more than 200 people visited the park, five miles north and a mile east of Clare town, during the day.
There was much to see and do for visitors. Newcomers were given tours and learned about the history of the Clare area through artifacts and photographs in the museum and one-room schoolhouse. There were exhibits on topics such as surveying, inventions and manufacturing, logging tools, Spikehorn’s Bear Den, model cars from the 1950s and 1960s, historic miniature flags, Detroit Tigers memorabilia, the ghost town of Meredith and rural county schools.
Outside there were many vintage vehicles and a modern fire truck on display. Old cars, tractors and a horse-drawn buggy decorated the park grounds, so visitors could see what ‘traveling in style’ used to look like. One vintage tractor provided rides for people of all ages to explore the nearby countryside.
In the forge, visitors watched live demonstrations of metalworking and primitive tool-making methods. A decorative chain was forged and displayed, link by link. The hard work and craftsmanship of the past have been kept alive to build modern generations.
Visitors could take a look at the Ott family home from more than a century ago. The historic log cabin exhibited living conditions before the invention of modern conveniences: no electricity, hot water or wireless communications.
Live music was provided by Stephanie Terpening. Refreshments were served in the pavilion, including bean soup, cornbread, coffee and donuts.
The newly opened Bell-Knapp Cabin received a dedication ceremony at 2 p.m. Dennis Guerriero outlined the history of the cabin, from its construction in 1888, to its ownership by Robert and Carolyn Knapp, to its move this summer. The cabin was donated to the Clare County Historical Society last year after Robert Knapp’s death. The interior is decorated with antique objects to recreate what a house would have looked like in the late nineteenth century. Jon Ringelberg spoke about Robert Knapp’s historical research and the people involved in moving and preparing the cabin as part of the History Park.
Carolyn Knapp, who came from California to attend the event, expressed her appreciation for the community’s hard work in preserving history. Her husband was a history professor in California, but he had grown up in Central Michigan and had a connection to the region. He was a prolific author and some of his books focused on local history. His most popular book is “Gangsters Up North: Mobsters, Mafia, and Racketeers in Michigan’s Vacationlands.”
Old Fashion Day marked the end of the park season for the year. As visitors look forward to the opening in May next year, they can learn more about local history online. The CCHS has year-round, 24/7 resources available on its website (clarecountyhistory.org). There are association newsletters, old photos and a timeline of Clare County history. An “Additional Resources” page provides links to digitized newspapers, local history ebooks, local libraries and more. Robert Knapp’s books are available through Amazon.com, and the books on Michigan history are listed on the association’s website. Local history books by other authors are also listed there.