A Week at The Royal Oak Historical Society Museum

A WEEK AT THE MUSEUM               

Sat., April 20, 2013

A delightful father and his 7 year old son just stopped in because they saw the “open”  sign out front…they were only going to stay a few minutes…..an hour later they had finished typing their names and address on the old Barton High School typewriter, which resides in the G.A. Dondero’s 1910 desk in  our Library.

One of our town’s most respected historians, Lois Lance, came in to visit the Exhibit. She is 93 yrs young and so needed a little help in reading, which her friend gladly provided. Lois also corrected us on who John Starr was..He was not John Almond Starr….just John Starr.

A young man who works at Berridge–Morrison, which began as land developers in the early 1800s, has an old framed poster of the company promotion for housing in Royal Oak. He promised to speak with the owners and ask if they would loan the poster to the Museum.

Tues. April 23, 2013

An older gentleman, Vincent, riding his bike from Ferndale stopped in today to visit and to relate several stories about his last 24 years as a retiree and his historical pursuits, especially about his interest in the War of 1812.

A young woman, Margaret, came into see the exhibit because her Grandparents graduated from Royal Oak High School. Her parents and she and her sister were born in Royal Oak and went through Royal Oak schools. She was very interested in the chair from the George Maul Transfer Hotel, which had been sold to Robert McClure, whose daughter Kathryn married a Lomerson, who were Margaret’s relatives.

She and her sister are working on the family genealogy so she will be back to take pictures. Grace Perkins dropped in with the most amazing “Copper Samovar” and the Village of Royal Oak’s Treasurer’s record book from 1897.

Thurs. April 25, 2013

The Angels (my volunteers) came in and took down the existing exhibits in two display cases and on three display walls.

Carol brought in from the Chief’s office many helmets, models of fire trucks made by firemen, a uniform, and boots, which will be on a mannequin and so much more.

Jim Halsey brought in the minutes book of the organization beginning in 1913 and going through the 50s and the log book recording runs the Fire Dept made.  Both books are in the most amazing condition.  We will have them on display and visitors will be able to read them.  The Fire Department’s 100th Anniversary Exhibit will run the month of May. 

A reporter from the RO Review interviewed Carol Dodge, Fire Dept. Clerk and Jim Halsey, Great Grandson of the Halseys, who were part of the original 1913 Volunteer Fire Dept.

A Dad & his young son and daughter dropped in just before closing, we had a little time to show them a few things and they promised they would be back earlier on a future Sat.

Muriel Versagi is curator of  the Royal Oak Historical Society Museum.