The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1907-10-11
A Historical Society for Van Blu
rem County.

A Historical Society for Van Blu
rem County.
The writer would like to see "a organ
ization formed, with headquarters in a
building OF it's own, the object of which
shall be to collect historical data, gather
relics and articles of historical Interest
make q collection Of pictures OF old resi-
dents, photographs of historic land
marks, public buildings, etc, make a
tiers and former residents, and eventu-
ally accomplish a number OF other
things.
Jonn Sherman might donate the old
court house. which is itself historic
building, and is now situated in a most
desirable location. This building could
be fitted up TO meet a number Of require
ments.
would have large adjustable frames
for photographs, plenty OF wall space
for pictures and Cases for objects OF
historic interest, etc, that donors or
loaners may be sure articles will be safe
ly and properly preserved. l would pro-
vide a commodious waiting room where
visitors would be welcome every day in
the year, the room to be provided with
comfortable seats, touches, toilet rooms,
where tired mothers in town for the day
can take their babies, eat their lunches
and be comfortable.
A man said to the writer, "There is
no place iu Kalamazoo where visitor
can rest except in saloon. or course
he can go to hotel, but he is really an
intruder there il he is not a registered
guest. Women must hang around in
the front part of stores where there is
no provision for them and where they
are not wanted afr their shopping is
DONE"
A properly arranged rest room would
be paying investment for the business
men of any town or city.
1t has come to be recognized that
good roads leading to a town are of i'm
mense Importance to its business inter
ests; they extend the circumference of
the trade territory. Farmers will drive
ten miles to one town over roads which
are good rather than eight miles in an.
other direction over poor roads. A town
that lC oks after the roads, sees to it that
farmers coming to it can buy what they
need, sell what they have to dispose Of,
and have a comfortable time at every
visit, will prosper.
We "Prodigals" will be glad to have a
hand in the establishment of Van Bu-
rem county historical society with
proper building situated in the county
seat, our beloved Paw Paw, which is the
finest town of the finest county of the
finest state of the finest country on the
face of this green earth.
A business mems association would do
a good work, not only in subscribing the
interests of the business men of the
town, but in conducting to the general
prosperity of the community.
A Village Improvement society could
do much in moulding public sentiment
and In promoting aesthetic beauty in
and about the village, which is already
model for other towns in the state
The writer, who lives in a little city
of 1900 inhabitants, which, by the way.
is really only a big village, is member
of its BUSH ess Mems association it's
Church Federation committee (which
you should know about of its Improve
ment Society, of which Prof Liberty Ii.
Bailey, 1.-The curly headed farmers boy
from Van Buren," and who is the great
est living agriculturst and horticutur-
list since Asa Grey, is president, and also
of the Tomkins County Historical soci-
ETY..
/ want to express the obligation | am
under personally to Frank Hudson for
the great fund OF valuable and re-
liable facts pertaining to the his
tory of Van Buren, county which he has
collated. Many have expressed a wish
that he might continue his research,
publish in one of the county papers Sc
ries of articles, each article to include
the picture of one of the old settlers who
have done so much to make that portion
of the state what it is, and perhaps later
on these articles to be pullshed in book
form.
julius NJ. CLAPP.