Clare County Historical Society

  • History Park

    The Clare County Historical Society operates a museum complex on the corner of Dover Road and Eberhart Avenue. The buildings include a museum, one-room schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, two log cabins, and a pavilion.

    7050 S Eberhart Ave, Clare, MI 48617

    Clare County Museum

    The museum building opened in 1999, and it houses artifacts and records of the county’s history. Exhibit subjects include Michigan surveying, the “shadow town” of Meredith, Spikehorn Meyer, old kitchen & household products, old logging & farming tools, inventions & manufacturing, a legal office, Dr. Kuno Hammerburg’s medical office, WKKM radio station, and military uniforms. Local history books are available for purchase.

    Records Available by Request

    The museum houses many documents, photos, newspaper articles, etc. that are not on display but can be viewed on request.

    White Notebooks

    Binders located in CCHS office (as of March 2024)

    Indexed by Jon Ringelberg

    WHITE NOTEBOOKSDownload
    Maps

    (as of August, 2023)
    LOCATION: These are located in 4 flat style drawers opposite entry to vault and are at about general eye level

    1. Windover Ranch Subdivision 1946 Freeman Twp
    2. Copy of Vanderbrinks Logging RR Map
    3. Original Surveys – FRAGILE
      Extension of Clare County & Saginaw RR 1883
      Grand Rapids Electric RR Gladwin to Clare 1910
    4. Old Clare County Map –RR still to Harrison but not to Meredith –
      FRAGILE
    5. Map of numerous Clare County Lakes FRAGILE
    6. Clare County Hospital Building Plans
    7. CCHS Museum Building Plans
    8. Michigan State Tax Commission Section Map of Clare County
      1938 Map outlines numerous Clare County Lakes
      [Has Snot Lake (now Bluff Lake) and
      Black Lake (now Grey Lake – ?]
    9. CCHS First Floor Building Plan
      10 Unknown Photos (2 photos of 2 men)

    11 Hotel Doherty Blue Print Copy’

    1. 8 Point Lake
    2. Partial Plat – City of Clare
    3. 1939 Clare County Road Map
    4. Proposed Clare Neighborhood School Map
    5. 1938 Clare County Map
    6. Clare High School Blue Prints
    7. 3 Blue Prints Isaiah Leebove alteration of Wildwood
    8. 1952 Truck Operators’ Road Map of Michigan
    9. 1931 State Highway Road Map of Clare County
    10. Isaiah Leebove House Plans
    11. Plat of Ash Acres – RIPPED & FRAGILE
    12. Township of Winterfield map – an Exhibit in legal case of Douglas v
      Davis, Davis, Tope, and Pure Oil Co. November 8, 1940
    13. 1 Room Schools display – none of Clare County
    14. Doherty Hotel – Blue Prints FRAGILE (there may be a copy)
    15. Clare Courier map of about 1906 –Copy
      VanderBrinks Logging RR Map – Copy
    16. 19223 Michigan Road May j- Copy
    17. Logging RR’s and Years Townships were Organized
    18. Sportsman’s County Map 1939-1940
    19. 1938 Clare County Map – 3 Copies
    20. 1935 Clare County Map — 2 Copies
    21. 1940 Clare County General Highway Map
    22. Roscommon County Map
    23. Clare County Topo Maps – 9 or 9
    24. Clare Area Map – Unknown Year & Portions of Map Shaded
    25. Unknown Year Clare County Plat Map
    26. Bertha Lake 1964 Map – Legal Exhibit

    LARGER MAPS
    (as of August, 2023)

    LOCATION: Located to the left and ABOVE of the 5 drawer flat map metal file

    A. Hayes Agricultural High School / Harrison H.S. Plans, 1956
    B. Proposed 1957 Clare Primary School
    C. Clare County Museum Plans
    D. Clare St. John Lutheran Church Plans
    E. 1963 Consumers Power Township Maps
    F. Clare County School Districts – no date
    G. 2 Aerials of Clare County – Strange Farm/Fowler Orchards area
    H. Map of 5 Lakes and Towns in Clare County
    I. Survey/Plat Map of City of Harrison by Paul Lapham

    Folders Formerly in Vault, Fireproof Cabinet

    As of October 10, 2022, JHR listed contents and incorporated such into the White Notebooks information as set out above. These White Notebooks to be found in Office at Museum as of October 10, 2022

    NOTE: Most school information may be found in the Museum Vault

    VOLUME 1
    AGRICULTURE ALLEN AUSTIN ARTCLIFF
    BENCHLEY BERTHA LAKE BICKNELL BOGAN

    VOLUME 2
    BRAND FARM BRODIE BROWN CORNERS CENTINNEAL BARNS CHURCHES CLARE COMMUNITY FAIR CLUTES GARAGE WM. CRAWFORD
    JIM CRAWFORD CODE TALKERS DAVY (& FARWELL MILL FIRE) DUFORT

    VOLUME 3
    CLARE DOVER

    VOLUME 4
    CATRON’S PLACE (LONG LAKE) CENTENIAL FARMS CLARE FIRE 1957 / 1958
    CLARE COUNTY POOR FARM DAGGETT FARWELL
    GAMBLES GEE GLASS

    VOLUME 5
    HARRISON

    VOLUME 6
    GEROW GEROW & BODKINS GLADWIN HAMMERBURG
    HENDERSON HENDRIE HUBBELL

    ICE HARVESTING KLEMAN KRELL LAKE GEORGE LAKE STATION
    LEBHERZ LEOTA LOG CABIN PHOTOS LOWRY

    VOLUME 7
    LUMBERING

    VOLUME 8
    MAGNUS MADISON MARSH MISER McNEILL MILITARY
    MISC. PICTURES MT. VERNON GRANGE MUNSON & JOHNSON MURPHY

    VOLUME 9
    NEIMEYER NINE CITIZENS OTT PARK BLDG. SPECS. PETTIT
    PIFER RAILROAD REYNOLDS ROBINSON ROSS RULAPAUGH RURAL

    VOLUME 10
    SCHULTZ

    VOLUME 11
    RINGELBERG ROAD CONSTRUCTION SAUL SAUNDERS
    STOLESON TRUMBLES VALENTINE WEATHERHEAD WOODRAFF

    VOLUME 12
    GENERAL SCHOOL & UNIDENTIFIED SCHOOL – as of October 10, 2022, not listed in above information contained in white notebooks

    VOLUME 13
    STATE HWY DEPT. & HAMILTON TWP. RECORDS

    VOLUME 14
    MISCELLANEOUS & TO BE SORTED

    VOLUME 15
    MISCELLANEOUS & TO BE SORTED

    SCHOOLS (not incorporated into any of above information): GENERAL
    ALLEN ARTHUR TWP. SCHs. BAILEY BALSEY
    BERTHA LAKE BRADLEY BRAND BROWN BRUSH COLLEGE CANER CARROW DOVER DYKSTRA EAGLE FRANKLIN FROST GRANDON GRANT TWP. SCHs. GREENWOOD GUT LAKE HATTON LEOTA

    SCHOOLS: MANNSIDING McKINLEY PRATT RANDALL REDNER
    SHERIDAN TWP. SCHs. SUMMERFIELD TWP. SCHs.
    TEMPLE WILDCAT WINTERFIELD WOODDRY

    AMBLE SCHOOL
    FARWELL SCHOOLS
    HARRISON SCHOOLS
    COLONVILLE SCHOOL
    CLARE SCHOOLS

    • FROST SCHOOL MIGHT ALSO HAVE BEEN CALLED SLY SCHOOL

    museum building

    Dover School

    This one-room schoolhouse is original to the site. The 19th century building housed classes up to 1966—the last rural school to close in the county. (CS 26 May 1966) It became the first historic building of the CCHS History Park in 1970. (CS 29 July 1970)

    Dover one-room schoolhouse

    Ott Cabin

    This historic log cabin belonged to the Ott family in Hatton Township in the 19th century. Over the years, 18 children were raised within this rustic home, and it was in use until the 1970s. What remained of the structure in good condition was moved to the park in 2000. The building is “a lasting testament to the past, to those who struggled to be free and independent Americans.” (CCC 15 June 2000)

    Ott family cabin

    Blacksmith Shop

    Live demonstrations of blacksmithing are featured here during normal hours (Saturdays 1-4 p.m.).

    blacksmith shop with live demonstration of blacksmithing

    Bell-Knapp Cabin

    This historic log cabin was donated by author Robert Knapp upon his passing in 2023. It belonged to his family in Sheridan Township in the 19th century. The building was moved to the park, given a new roof & foundation, and dedicated in 2024.

    Pavilion

    Refreshments are served here on Old Fashion Day.

    Dedicated in memory of Tom M. Sellers in 2012.

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