WELLSPRING 2002

Articles: Click on Underlined Titles

"Living History"

"Portage Hills"

"The Life of Mr. Albin Hughes and Mrs. Bonnie Hughes"

"Harriet Quimby"

"Arcadia School" includes photo of 2 school buildings with students in front

"Ms. Elizabeth Brown Klajda"

"Camp Tosebo" includes photo of boathouse & cabins

NetGap Index Page

Articles: Click on Underlined Titles

"The Portage Point Inn" includes photos

"Mr. and Mrs. Howard Hughes’s Memoir"

"Glen Park"

"Mrs. Irene Lyman"

"Mrs. Janice Purdom"

"Manistee County Fairgrounds"

"Mr. and Mrs. Dale Hopkins" includes photo: b&w photo of couple

"Mrs. Virginia Kline" includes photo

Living History
About the Wellspring Project

By Kayla Bates

The Wellspring is a form of living history. Students learn to understand how we lived then, and how we got to where we are now.

Onekama is a small country town rich with historic details. Wellspring is a collection of memories of the people who grew up here, whether year-round or just for the summers. It is the preserves of our history, a door opening up to our past.

Lots of work went into the project. Students collected information, wrote draft after draft, and then had them edited for accuracy. We interviewed people, as well as collected information about historical places.

Special trips were also made for further research. A group of students traveled to the Manistee County Historical Society Museum with our teacher, Mrs. McCarthy, where they met with Mr. Thomas Gerhardt, a local history expert. Other students visited Mrs. Bonnie Hughes at her home in Arcadia to learn more about Harriet Quimby, and they also visited Quimby’s childhood home. Another group pf students took a tour of the Portage Point Inn to meet with Mr. Jeff Sternberger and learn more about the history of the Inn.

In the end, we are very proud of the finished product. We poured ourselves into the stories, each of us leaving our own individual mark. Wellspring is our contribution to our history-rich community. Return to top

Glen Park
By Nichole Baranek, Jordan Kozelka, and Amanda Wheeler

Glen Park is a large wooded area on a hill overlooking Portage Lake. The biggest attraction of the park is its springs. In 1882, A.W. Farr deeded this property to the Onekama Lumber Company, of which he was president. Professor G.A. Mariner from Chicago conducted a test of the mineral contents of the spring. The following was written in handwriting beneath the results of the analysis: "This is certainly a very pure and healthful water for drinking purposes. The Analysis shows this water to be free of organic matter."

The springs were very popular, and many people drank the water of the springs. In fact, the following is a quote from an article in the fall of 1882 from The Manistee Times: "The waters of the spring constantly overflow their banks., and although they are not more than four feet apart the properties and tastes of the waters are extremely dissimilar."

As they gained popularity, word of the springs spread quickly. "Onekama has recently come into prominence as a summer resort on account of the curative properties of the three mineral springs known as ‘Onekaming Springs,’ meaning in the Indian dialect, ‘life giving and health imparting,’" stated a pamphlet made by Onekama Lumber for 1884-1885.

By May 1, 1886 "The Glen House," which accommodated 100 guests, was built about 100 yards from the springs. The hotel had wonderful views of Portage Lake. The following clipping was cut out of a Manistee Sentinel from May 6, 1886: "The Onekama resort, not withstanding the earliness of the season, has already commenced to attract the attention of people in this section with the remarkable curative properties of the water."

The Glen House was a very popular resort. Unfortunately, the Glen House burned to the ground in 1891. The rest of the resort fell into a state of disrepair. The wooden structures began to rot, and the springs were becoming clogged with debris.

In 1930, the Onekama Commercial Club backed a movement for the Glen’s restoration. It has since been repaired to its original glory. The well houses and walkways were rebuilt, and the springs were cleaned out. You can still visit this historical land mark and see the "Onekama Springs" any time you want in Onekama’s wonderful Glen Park. Return to top

Camp Tosebo
By Amanda Gilman, Tyler Miller, and John Yonkers

Camp Tosebo was founded in 1912 and was a boy’s camp on Portage Lake. Tosebo is named in honor of the Todd Seminary for Boys. The boys from the Todd Seminary came up from Illinois to spend a portion of their summers at Camp Tosebo. It all started one summer when Noble Hill, who was the headmaster of the Todd Seminary, brought a group of boys to Onekama for summer boarding school. So the actual camp started in 1912, and went until its final summer around 1978.

The boys who went to the camp had many activities to do while at camp. The list of activities included swimming, hiking, craft making, boating, horseback riding, and singing. Some of the students who attended the camp grew up to become very famous. One of them was Orson Welles, who wrote The War of the Worlds.

Campers had to wear a uniform because ordinary clothing was not serviceable. The uniform consisted of a military shirt and a pair of long trousers for boys of all ages. They also were required to have tennis shoes, leather shoes, sweaters, bathing suits, stockings, and toiletries. They also had to bring musical instruments.

The expenses at one point in the earlier years were as follows: $200 for the season, and $4 a day for less than a week. The season was eight weeks long and usually began in June each year.

An average day at Camp Tosebo went something like this:

6:30 -- Rising call, flag raising, set up drill
7:00 -- Breakfast
8:00 -- Make beds put camp in order
8:30 -- Inspection of Camp
Rest of morning was free for recreation
11:00 -- Swimming
12:30 -- Dinner/Lunch
Afternoon for playing and swimming
3:00 -- Swimming
4:00 -- Lunch/Snack/Cookies
5:45 -- Supper
After supper free to row, go fishing, go to campfires, etc.
9:00 -- Retiring hour
9:15 -- Lights out

Along with all of those daily activities, they also took occasional hikes to the nearby towns.

The clubhouse was the spot where all of the indoor activities took place. In the clubhouse, there was a large dining room, a sitting room, and recreation and guest rooms. There was also hot water piped into the showerhouse. The clubhouse has been renovated several times, but the most recent remodeling took place in 1995 and 1996. The building was renovated and turned into a bed and breakfast.

The camp was listed on the State Register of Historic Sites on October 16, 1997. Camp Tosebo was listed in the National Register for Historic Places on December 20, 2000.

Today, much of Tosebo’s magic still lives on in the many collectables found in and around the beautiful clubhouse and in the memories of its former campers.The collectables tell the story of the long rich history of Camp Tosebo, and the boys who once attended there.

Harriet Quimby
By Kayla Bates, Lacey Kirk, Josh Kosmowski, and Luke Gjestrum

Back when airplane was still spelled "aeroplane," a baby girl was born. She would go on to be the first licensed woman pilot in America. She is a legend that would remain in America’s history 127 years later.

Harriet Quimby’s parents were originally from New York and moved to Arcadia, Michigan. Her mother Ursula and her father William settled on 160 acres of land in Arcadia, Michigan. They built a house and acquired the patent for the land in 1874. Her mother produced and also sold patent medicines. Her later name for it was "Quimby’s Liver Invigorator." It was advertised in the Manistee Daily News.

Two of Harriet’s three siblings died at early ages. Kittie and Willie were lost to dysentery or bloody flux. Her sister Helen married and later moved away from the area. Harriet Quimby’s country roots played an important part in her later life.

Harriet Quimby grew up to be a writer. She went to New York City where she was hired by Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly. She was fascinated by other cultures, and often wrote about exotic places. She won awards for her stories. Her regular column "House and Home" encouraged women to dream big. But her greatest interest and her life’s passion became flying after she was sent to in October 1910 to report on an air show at Belmont Park.

Harriet Quimby asked the Wright Brothers if they would teach her how to fly. But they would not teach a woman. She had to take secret lessons with an unknown French man. Quimby planned to fly across the English Channel on a Monday. Her mother made her promise that she would never fly on a Sunday. It rained on Monday so Quimby decided to fly on Tuesday. Quimby’s April 16th flight was not covered by the newspapers because the Titanic had sunk only three days before.

Harriet was the first woman to receive a pilot’s license in America. She was also the first woman to fly the English Channel solo.

Quimby would not be stopped. She moved on to her next task. She was to fly airmail from Boston to New York City on July 2nd. Harriet was at an air show in Boston when she took Mr. William Williard on as a passenger. Mr. Williard shifted in his seat and threw the plane off-balance. Quimby’s monoplane dipped violently. Five thousand spectators looked on as Williard’s and Quimby’s bodies fell 1,000 feet into the icy water and to their death. The legend of the women in the purple suit, however, would live on throughout the years. Return to top // Onekama Students participate at Quimby Dedication near Arcadia, Michigan

Arcadia School
By Kris Hoffman, Joey Mitchell, and Amber Smith

Tucked into the little town of Arcadia, Michigan is a little school called Arcadia School. Today, the school is home to the second and third graders who are part of Onekama Consolidated Schools. Arcadia School was not always part of Onekama Consolidated Schools. In fact, the school has a long and rich history dating back over a century.

Mr. Albin Hughes was the K-12 Principal at Arcadia School from 1955 through 1959. He was the Superintendent from 1960 to 1967 when Arcadia was consolidated with Onekama. After the schools were consolidated, he became the Elementary Principal for both schools. He enjoyed working at Arcadia School. He remembers teaching math, science, and other classes at the Arcadia School. Mr. Hughes’s wife, Bonnie, also worked at Arcadia School as a secretary for about 14 years. She commented, "Being a secretary is fun but it is hard work."

Arcadia School has gone through many physical changes during its history. It was originally a series of district schools. Later, a frame school was built in Arcadia. An article from a 1882 Manistee County paper stated: "Education claims its share of attention, as may be seen by the handsome frame school which was erected a few years ago in Arcadia at a cost of $800.00." In 1883, 28 students attended school at this building.

When Burnham School and Arcadia School consolidated, they moved the Burnham School building to Arcadia, and they were called "the twin schools." In 1910, they needed a larger school, and so a cement block school was built. The twin schools were moved, and they were made into residences. The first high school class graduated in 1914 from the new Arcadia School with two graduates, Earl Finch and Harold Crain. In 1933, a gym was built. In 1964 at a cost of $135,000, the kindergarten through eighth grade classrooms were built in. Just three years later, Arcadia was combined with Onekama Consolidated.

At Arcadia School, there were 8.5 rooms and 200 students in the whole school, with ten to eleven teachers. Kids enjoyed recess, gym, basketball, playground, dinners, and dances. They held a lot of fundraisers, including "penny dinners," in which everything cost just a few pennies. Townspeople would make a dish for the supper. At that time, there were not threats of bombs or shootings, mostly because kids had more important things to do, such as farming.

School started at 8:00 A.M. and ended at 3:30 P.M. with 180 days of school each year. During lunch hours, students had the option of eating a hot lunch from the lunch program, or a packed lunch at school or at home, but third grade and under needed a note to leave school. Kindergarteners had just a half-day.

The Arcadia School has been in operation for many years. Besides housing desks, books, and computers, it holds something much more important inside its walls — the memories of all of the students and teachers who have passed through its doors.

The Arcadia Village School (left) and the Burnham School (right) once stood side-by-side in Arcadia, and were known as "the twin schools. Return to top

The Portage Point Inn
By Joleen Dalke, Nathan Milarch, and Danielle Olson

North of Onekama Channel, on Portage Lake and a walk away from Lake Michigan, sits a beautiful summer resort. You may have seen or heard of it, a place where you can enjoy your days sailing, water skiing, swimming, or fishing. The whole family is sure to have a good time where there are accommodations and activities planned. For almost 100 years now the Portage Point Inn has catered to the growing needs of the visitors. Through difficult times, they have managed to keep everyone happy.

It all started when W.E. Coates and Almon Marvin sold their land to Sunnyside Assembly, whose name was later changed to Portage Point Assembly. The assembly incorporated in 1902. Construction of the Inn began July 11, 1902 with plans to have rooms ready for guests the following month. The grand opening was June 27-28, 1903. There was a ball during the evening of the twenty-seventh for all who wished to attend. There was also a steamer traveling from Manistee to the Inn for 25 cents round-trip. From then on the Inn was a very popular getaway for people from the cities, Chicago in particular.

But, since that opening, many things have changed. The opening rate for a room was two to three dollars per night. Now, you can unpack your things and stay for $189. When it opened there were only ferries, no roads could be found for miles. Since vacationers could only get to the Inn by ferry, it didn't take long for the steam line, the Northern Michigan Transportation Company, to lease the Portage Point Inn. So, after the lease in 1914, construction was started immediately due to demand. Ninety hotel rooms and a beautiful dining room were added to the Inn in 1915. The Beach Lodge was built by 1912. Over a twelve-year period, cottages were built including bed and bath. They were, and still are, perfect for families seeking a comfortable and affordable stay. In the 1920's, one-bedroom cottages were built. These cottages later became known as "dollhouses". They offer comfort and privacy for vacationers.

With more places to stay in, and more privacy in living quarters, people continued to flock to the Inn over the summer. So to add on to the events and activities, an additional game room was added on. This 1912 building has grown to be called the casino. Jeff Sternberger, the current manager of the Portage Point Inn, states, "When the casino was first built it was called The Pavilion Dance Hall." Portage Point stayed busy and popular throughout the summer for many years to come. People who had come to the Inn as children now brought their own children to enjoy the sites and excitement of Portage Point Inn. The living areas were soon very limited compared to the amount of people coming from all around the state. The Terrace was built and two floors were added on. With that, more people spent their summers at Portage Lake.

For the Inn everything was going very well; they had been operating for nearly 85 years when disaster struck. In the spring of 1988, a fire started in the main hotel and burned off the top floor. With repairs still needing to be made, the Inn went out of business that fall.

With its charm and everlasting elegance, it didn't take long for the Inn to find a buyer. In 1993 it was bought and fixed up better than before. In the year of 2000, twelve one-bedroom condos were built. In 2001 a pool was also put in below the condos and the casino was moved across the street from its original location. Now, once again, people are rediscovering the beauty of the Inn and the beauty of the nature around it. The Portage Point Inn is a perfect example of local history that we can appreciate and be proud of in our community.

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Mr. and Mrs. Howard Hughes’s Memoir
By Emily Bowman, Stevie Gillespie, & Jake Zielinski

Onekama has long attracted visitors and resorters to the community because of the great seasonal opportunities here. In fact, the population of our town more then triples in the summer months! Sometimes these visitors are so captivated with the area that they decide to make Onekama their permanent home. This was the case for Mr. and Mrs. Howard Hughes.

Mr. Howard Hughes was born on August 19, 1932 in Flint, Michigan. He first came to Onekama in 1969 to spend the summer with his family and friends. During his summers in Onekama, Howard liked to camp, hunt, and fish on beautiful Portage Lake. When the summer ended, the Hughes family returned to their home in Grand Blanc, Michigan.

Mr. Hughes attended and graduated from Flint Northern High School. In school Mr. Hughes was part of many sports including baseball, tennis, and basketball. He especially loved baseball and was very good at it. He loved to watch sports as much as he loved to play them.

Like any other kid, he had to do chores which he hated while growing up. This included cleaning his room, making his bed, doing the dinner dishes, mowing the lawn, and washing the family car. When Howard first started his senior year in college, he finally got his first car, a Chevrolet for $50, which he got from his grandfather.

After Mr. Hughes graduated from high school in 1950, he received a baseball scholarship to attend the University of Detroit. He was a pitcher on the U of D baseball team for four years. He also received a BA degree majoring in English. Due to the fact that he had signed up for R.O.T.C. (Reserve Officer’s Training Corps), he finished his four years in college and went off to the army. After two years in the Army, including one year in Korea, he returned to the University of Detroit and received his Master’s degree. He then got a job as one of the fifth grade teachers at Holy Name Elementary in Birmingham, Michigan. He also took the responsibility of being the seventh and eighth grade boys’ basketball coach. He taught and coached there with Martin Foley, his best friend and former college roommate. The Foley family raised their seven children in Onekama after "Marty" accepted a basketball coaching and teaching job in Manistee in 1969.

While Mr. Hughes was in his first year of college, Miss Pat Kennedy was still in high school. Miss Kennedy got her first real job at a soda fountain when she was 16 years old. She graduated from high school at Shrine of the Little Flower (where she had been going to school for 12 years) in 1954, and she went off to college that fall. At the University of Detroit, she got her Bachelor’s degree, majoring in Education, in January 1960. She hoped to teach English and social studies. She was accepted, like Mr. Hughes, to become one of the fifth grade teachers at Holy Name Elementary in Birmingham, Michigan. She also coached the seventh and eighth grade girls’ basketball teams.

While Mr. Hughes was teaching half of the fifth grade students English or reading, Miss Kennedy was across the hall teaching the other half of the students math, social studies, or spelling. During these teaching years at Holy Name Elementary, Mr. Hughes’s and Miss Kennedy’s students tried to get them to start dating. Even after all their pressuring though, they saw nothing happening. Mr. Hughes and Miss Kennedy finally started to secretly date in March 1958 and were engaged six months later. In August 1959, when Mr. Hughes was 26 and Miss Kennedy was 22, they became known as Mr. and Mrs. Howard Hughes.

The Hughes family quickly expanded to 7, so Mrs. Hughes stayed home to be with her four sons and one daughter. She later went back to college at the University of Michigan to get her Master’s degree. She graduated in 1979 and taught for about 20 years, most of the time in the Grand Blanc public schools. She taught Honors English for ninth grade, reading lab classes and expository writing for Juniors and Seniors, has substituted for every grade in many schools, and has also taught English 101 at Baker College, Mott Community College, and Westshore College. Since moving to Onekama, she has substituted for seven years.

Mr. Hughes has also worked at many schools. For 28 years, he was a counselor, Professor, Director of Guidance and Counseling, dean, and Vice-President at Mott Community College in Flint, Michigan. Prior to that, Mr. Hughes was a counselor and teacher at Bryant Junior High and Southwestern High School in Flint, Michigan.

Mrs. Hughes retired from Grand Blanc in June 1992. Though she did retire, she taught English part-time at Mott Community College until her husband retired in 1993. Since by that time all five Hughes children had graduated from college and had their jobs and homes, Howard and Pat sold their home in Grand Blanc and moved to Onekama permanently.

Mr. and Mrs. Hughes said they enjoy living in Onekama. Their children live in Grand Blanc, Fenton, Troy, Traverse City, and Onekama, Michigan. Since all of their children live so close, they get to see their 11 grandchildren often. Two of their children have even bought summer cabins in Onekama, and their son Kevin and his family live in Onekama year-round. (In fact, Mr. Kevin Hughes is now the principal of Onekama Elementary School.) Mr. and Mrs. Hughes have made this world a better place through their teaching and counseling. We are fortunate that people like Mr. and Mrs. Hughes have made Onekama their home!

Howard and Pat Hughes are seated with their ten grandchildren during the Christmas holidays, 2001. Their eleventh grandchild, Hannah, was born in March 2002. Return to top

Mrs. Janice Purdom
By Matthew Fredericks, Sarah Schmoke, and Ashley Snell

In 1937, in a cozy cottage located in the small town of Bear Lake, Michigan, Mr. and Mrs. Clouse gave birth to a baby girl named Janice.

Janice Clouse was a bright little girl who loved to play with her sister. They would go to the beach every day in the summer to swim and boat. Janice’s favorite thing in the summer was to lie out in the sun and tan. Janice also loved to go to the movies and hang out with her friends.

During her childhood, Janice attended Bear Lake School. Her favorite subject was chemistry. In 1955, Janice graduated from Bear Lake High School. Only one year after high school, Janice met her first husband Mr. Roger Ekstrand in 1956 while in Traverse City at Northwestern Michigan College studying creative writing. In 1957, Roger and Janice were married and soon decided they were ready for children. In 1958, they gave birth to a little girl named Lisa. In the following years, they became parents to two more little girls, Julie and Christina.

Sadly, just a few years after Christina was born, Mr. Ekstrand passed away. After being widowed, Janice was left with three girls to raise on her own. During her lifetime, Janice worked at a cherry farm, cleaned cottages, and worked in a small town restaurant called "The Coffee Pot."

In 1967, Janice met Mr. Elbert Purdom while working on her tax returns. After almost four years of not seeing or talking to each other, Mr. Purdom called Janice and asked her out on a date. They started to date in February 1970, and after only a few months the couple was ready to get married. They were married on September 18, 1970. With Mr. Purdom’s two children and Mrs. Purdom’s three children from their previous marriages, they instantly had quite a large family! In 1971, their family grew even a bit larger with the birth of a baby boy named James.

Throughout her busy life, Mrs. Purdom has moved about fifteen times! She has gone as far away as Arizona State University, but she always came back to the Bear Lake area. She says that Manistee and Onekama have changed some over the years, but Bear Lake has remained much the same as she remembers it. Some major buildings that are still around are The Vogue Theater, The Cub Theater, and the Onekama drug store. Between all of her moves, she has lived in Bear Lake and the surrounding area for a total of twenty years.

Today, the Purdoms live in a quiet country home located in Pierport. Their six children, ten grandchildren, and two great grandchildren live all around the world. She enjoys getting to see them when they come to visit. After a busy life and many years raising children, Mrs. Janice Purdom and her husband finally have some time to themselves. And they are loving every minute of it! Mrs. Purdom visiting the 4th grade // Return to top

The Life of Mr. Albin Hughes and Mrs. Bonnie Hughes
By Virginia Carlson, Colin Grenn, Bonnie Harthun, and Cari Howard

Life, love, and experiences have all been successes for Mr. and Mrs. Al and Bonnie Hughes. Every goal, every expectation, and every dream has become a reality for this happy, successful couple. As we read into their interesting yet every day lives, we began to see just how special they are to our community, and just how special our community is to the Hughes family.

In 1925, a son was born to a farmer and a housewife in Manistee County, Michigan. Three years later in 1928 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, there was a girl born to an engineer and a housewife as well. These two young people were, of course, Al and Bonnie Hughes. Many years passed after these two very special people were given the gift of life, and were then granted with the gift of love.

Mr. and Mrs. Hughes met when Mrs. Hughes was just fifteen years old, on a car ferry crossing Lake Michigan while Mr. Hughes was serving in the Army. They each showed affection for one another, but were only able to stay in touch by being pen pals. After so many years of keeping in touch through writing, Mr. and Mrs. Hughes met once again and decided to get married. They were married in St. Rose’s Catholic Church of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just as Mrs. Hughes’ mother and father were, with the reception at the Hotel Pfister. The birth of their first child was to be the most exciting and most special memory of their happily spent life. But of course, the birth of all three of the Hughes’ children was very special.

The Hughes family, their three children and their twelve grandchildren as well, enjoy traveling. They have traveled all over the world, but the most exhilarating of them all would have to be Ireland, next would be Niagara Falls where they spent their honeymoon. They also recently celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary, and renewed their vows to each other with their entire immediate family present.

Mrs. Hughes graduated from an all girls’ school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She wore a navy uniform with a white blouse and saddle shoes. Roller skates, Shirley Temple, and dolls were also very popular. 360 students attended Mrs. Hughes’ school in Wisconsin, and that is where she spent her entire life, until the day she graduated and went to college. Mrs. Hughes attended Business College and worked in the Arcadia School office. Along the way as well, after Mr. Hughes had attended elementary, middle, and high school in Manistee County, graduated, and then went to college at Michigan State, he was offered a job at Arcadia Schools. He then became superintendent of Arcadia School. When Arcadia Schools was consolidated with Onekama, Mr. Hughes became Elementary Principal of both Onekama and Arcadia Elementary Schools. Mr. Hughes had put great time and effort into Onekama School, and then retired in 1982.

As you can see, Mr. and Mrs. Hughes both have put in much time and work into their lives to get to where they are today. Mrs. Hughes, along with her job and raising a lovely family, has set aside other special activities that she enjoys doing in her spare time. Mrs. Hughes became interested in the true heroic story of pilot Harriet Quimby about ten years ago, when she found out that Harriet was raised and went to school in Aracadia township.

Mrs. Hughes is a caring and very smart lady, and also has great knowledge of our community, especially Arcadia. She volunteers to give presentations at schools about both Arcadia and Harriet Quimby, displays her knowledge and information of Harriet Quimby in museums, and worked nine years on getting a historical marker for the Quimby Homestead on Erdman Road. She was editor of the Arcadia Centennial Book, and she is currently working on securing a historical marker for the Arcadia Trinity Lutheran Church as well. Mrs. Hughes says she enjoys receiving letters from children in the community asking questions about Harriet Quimby, and of course she still replies. Mr. Hughes is also a very smart loving person, and loves to spend time with his family. He enjoys getting involved in extra activities outside of the home as well, and has dedicated so much time to make our community better for everyone.

Our community has developed considerably over the years, according to Mr. and Mrs. Hughes. Some things have changed, and some things have stayed the same. Bus rides to school are now available, so that the trip to school isn’t a strenuous one. Back when Mr. and Mrs. Hughes attended school, the only transportation that was available for them was their own two feet! Walking two miles to get to school wasn’t very fun, says Mrs. Hughes. The only other transportation for Mrs. Hughes, was her parents car, but she was prohibited from driving it, even when she was sixteen. During school hours when Mr. and Mrs. Hughes were young, they would walk two miles home to eat lunch, and walk two miles back to school. During that time, schools didn’t provide a lunch for the students. Besides the school environment of the community, the entire physical appearance of the community itself was different.

The Hughes’s teen years were great, but nothing can beat the entertaining activities that they remember the most. Going to the movies was Mrs. Hughes’s favorite thing to do. Who wouldn’t enjoy paying only ten cents to watch two newly released movies, or buy sweet treats for only five cents a piece? "Most of all, the best privilege when we were younger, was to be given the credit card and told to spend as we please. It was so fun shopping at the department stores with all of that money, and above all, riding the escalators was our absolute favorite!"

The many generations of the Hughes family have been a part of our community for a long time, and there is nothing they would do to change it. "Our community it beautiful, and we continuously try to make it a better place for everyone," responded Mr. and Mrs. Hughes. In general, when you give back to the community and are all-around kind, polite people, who do your best, and work hard for what you want in life, just as Mr. and Mrs. Hughes did, good things are bound to come your way. Mr. and Mrs. Hughes have created a great life for themselves in Arcadia, and in return, our community has benefited from their efforts. The Hughes visit Arcadia School / Visiting Mrs. Bentley's Class

Students meet with Mr. and Mrs. Hughes in the Onekama School Media Center to learn more about their lives and the history of Arcadia village.

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Mrs. Irene Lyman
By Ryan Brown, Amber Johnson, Jason Marble, and Clinton Osborn

RUN, SHEEP, RUN! "After those three words, the only thing I could think about was running as fast as I could to home base. The wolves were catching up with me so I ran faster and faster until, BAM! I felt my right foot hit the base. I immediately dropped to the ground trying to catch my breath," recalls Mrs. Irene Lyman as she remembers one of her favorite childhood games.

Mrs. Lyman was born in Manistee, Michigan. Three years after being born, her father died and her family moved back to Manistee. She recalls there not being that much money around the house, which meant fish almost every night. During the Depression and the war years, money was not usually used to purchase items or pay back services. Instead, people would often trade things for what they needed.

As Mrs. Lyman got older she started working in the principal’s office at Manistee High School for extra credit and money. After her graduation (there were 144 people in her graduating class), she moved on to college. During that time she was a nurse and only went to college for a few years. After college, she started working at the present-day foster care home on Memorial Drive.

Mrs. Lyman married Mr. Alphon Lyman during World War II and had her first child. She says it was a very hard time for her because Mr. Lyman was in the war at the time. Lyman Road is named after Mr. Lyman’s family.

After the war Mr. and Mrs. Lyman settled down into the very house they live in today. Mrs. Lyman commented, "A lot more houses have been added to Lyman Road. There used to be around three or four houses and now it is its own little neighborhood in a way." Not only has Lyman Road changed, but the world has changed a great deal also due to technology. Although not all people of Mrs. Lyman’s generation are up to date with computers, Mrs. Lyman does have a computer and knows how to work it! Mrs. Lyman’s old hangouts now either have a bunch of houses on them or are covered with pavement and stores or new additions to the school.

Though many changes have taken place in our community and in our world during Mrs. Lyman’s lifetime, some important things about our area have stayed the same. Onekama and the surrounding areas are made up of wonderful people with wonderful memories -- like Mrs. Lyman. Through their eyes and through their words, we are able to relive the past and we are reminded just how special this place is where we live. Mrs.Lyman with the 6th grade

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Mr. and Mrs. Dale Hopkins
By Tim Fink, Mathew Somero, Nick Towas, and Erin Wagoner

Mr. and Mrs. Dale Hopkins have enjoyed growing up and living in northern Michigan and have many wonderful memories of their childhood. Mr. Hopkins was born and raised in Arcadia. His family lived across from the Methodist church. When he was around eight, they moved to a house out on Norman Road, in the beautiful country. Mrs. Hopkins and her family lived outside of Arcadia where the Keefer farm is today.

As they grew older the toys grew fewer but they still played many of the games that we play today, including baseball. "If you could call a baseball bat a toy, that was my favorite," says Mr. Hopkins.
Mrs. Hopkins considered herself a "tom boy." She loved to play outdoors, rather than inside with dolls. Instead she’d be outside playing gray wolf or softball.

When they were both in their teen years, they went to dances, and free shows in Onekama, Bear Lake, and Arcadia. Then of course they would do all of the teenager things, like staying out late, and being crazy in love with some one. They were busy enjoying life for all that it was worth. . . just like all teenagers do today.

Going to school was definitely another story. Every morning Mr. Hopkins walked two miles to get to school, although sometimes he would take a short cut to make the trip shorter. Mrs. Hopkins said she rode the bus all the way through her school years. They both went to the school house in Arcadia. The historical building was built in 1910. The building is no longer there, but a marker indicates the former location of the school. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins were good students in school.

After finishing school, Mr. Hopkins joined the army and was assigned to the 548th Anti-Aircraft Battalion. Mrs. Hopkins graduated and got a job working in the chemical lab at Filer Fiber Paper Company. After her daughters were in high school and college, Mrs. Hopkins began working at Onekama School as an office assistant.

After Mr. Hopkins got out of the army, he and Mrs. Hopkins got married on May 12, 1946. It was one of the happiest days of their lives. They moved into Onekama on one Halloween night. "We had over 200 trick-or-treaters that night, and all we were trying to do was move in," Mr. Hopkins chuckles. Passing out all of the Halloween treats slowed the process of settling into their new home. The Hopkins have two daughters named Linda and Judy who both attended Alma College. Their daughters currently are teachers around the area.

As you can see, growing up in this little town called Arcadia was a great experience for Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins. Both have had happy lives and were very kind to share with us their memories so that we could learn about them and about what our community was like when they were younger. Although they grew up long before we were born, there are many similarities between their childhood and ours. Onekama has always been, and will always be, a great place to grow up! (Students Listening to Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins)

Dale Hopkins and Lois Ware in 1943

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The Life of Ms. Elizabeth Brown Klajda
By Jesse Capper, Jessica Kalasz, Cheyenne Mihalik, and Aaron Smith

Could you imagine life without computers or televisions? Well, for Ms. Beth Klajda, this was her life as a young girl. "The only entertainment children had when I was younger was to play games like kick-the-can and croquet or to roller-skating and go to the movies," she said.

Most children had an allowance of 25 cents per week. With this, Ms. Klajda was expected to pay for herself to go to the movies or go roller-skating. "My first job was for a Portage Point family and I made $20 a week at the job," said Ms. Klajda. She was a freshman in high school when she got this first job. She had to either pick up a ride at the post office or ride her bike to get to her job because she did not own her own car until the age of 27. At the time that she got her car, gasoline did not cost nearly as much as it does today.

Her parents were Charles and Christine Brown. Her dad was a teacher and a superintendent, and she had him as a teacher when she went through school. Her father taught at different times in Onekama. Ms. Klajda has one brother and one sister. She is the youngest of her family. Her oldest sibling is nine years older than she is, and so as a child she was often treated as an only child.

"One of my favorite memories was when my mother and I took a trip out west in the summer of 1954," she said. Some other good times Ms. Klajda had were going to high school dances and hanging out at the roller-skating rink. Most teenagers at the time had no specific curfew. "Most of us knew not to come home at inappropriate times or there would be consequences," said Ms. Klajda.

During her high school years there were no sports for girls. Basketball only had about one game per season and it was only played on half court. There were no softball or volleyball teams for girls. Sports were not as commonly watched as a source of entertainment because they were not as popular as they are today.

Growing up on a farm, there were many chores to be done and that kept most children entertained and out of trouble. The farm that Ms. Klajda lives on is a centennial farm that was built in 1877 and is now 135 years old. Grapes and raspberries were to be picked and the children got money for doing so. There were also pets to be taken care of on the farm. Ms. Klajda had a dog whose name was Jasper and he was the family dog.

School was mostly the same as it is now, only there were no computers or televisions. Students were not allowed to come to school wearing whatever was in their closet. "We mainly wore clothes of the time or something dressy to school," said Ms. Klajda. Students did not usually wear jeans or sweat pants to school because it was considered inappropriate.

In the free time that Ms. Klajda had, you would most likely find her reading a good book or watching her favorite television show, I Love Lucy. Although her childhood activities were different from many children today, Ms. Klajda enjoyed her childhood very much. Mrs. Klajda with the 3rd grade // Return to top

Mrs. Virginia Kline
By Chelsea Bromley, Cody Brandt, and Jeremy LaRue

The small town of Onekama is nestled around Portage Lake and holds within its village limits many people who have contributed to Onekama’s history and future by their very presence. Among these people is Mrs. Virginia Ray, now known as Mrs. Virginia Kline.

Born and raised in Albion, Mrs. Kline met her husband, Mr. John Kline at the college he attended, Michigan State University. Mr. Kline, graduate of Onekama High School, attended Michigan State on a 4H scholarship. Mrs. Kline said, "I started coming to Onekama in the summers after November 1941 when we were married."

Together they recall spending their summers here in Onekama at the Kline Orchard picking cherries and enjoying all that Onekama has to offer. "I liked Onekama because it was a small town, and always home," Mrs. Kline stated. Mr. Kline and Mrs. Kline enjoyed Onekama so much in fact that they decided to move here from their previous home, located in Jackson, Michigan. "When we returned to Onekama upon retirement, it was to a Centennial Farm which has been in the Kline family for 142 years," explained Mrs. Kline.

Since Mr. Kline retired from Consumers power in 1985, Mr. Kline and Mrs. Kline have lived in Onekama together and have celebrated many accomplishments along the way. Through their years they have successfully raised four children: Harold, Marjorie, Richard, and George Kline. They have also recently celebrated 60 happy, healthy years of marriage.

Onekama is lucky to have people like the Klines living within its area, as they have brought so much of their lives with them and gave so much of their selves, memories, and experiences in return.

Mr. John Kline and Mrs. Virginia Kline had this picture taken in celebration of their sixtieth wedding anniversary."

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The Manistee County Fairgrounds
By Kayla Goins, Aaron Gonzales, Andrea Kelley, and Curtiss O’Rorke Stedman

County fairs were first held in the United States in the early part of the nineteenth century. The meaning of this event was an agricultural fair -- a place for farmers to gather and show the products of their land to their fellow farmers. This was the idea of the first Manistee County Fair that was held in Bear Lake in 1871.

However, within a short time, a conflict developed over the location of the fair at Bear Lake. Many Manistee merchants wanted a site closer to their city. They felt this would provide a better opportunity for them to show their animals and equipment to farmers. A number of competitive fairs were held in the Manistee area over the years to fill their demand, but with only limited success.

Because of the Manistee and Northeastern railroad line being constructed to Onekama, the Manistee County Agricultural Society agreed to move their fair to a site near that village in 1887. This provided a location with easy access by rail for Manistee residents and added only minor problems for some county farmers. The new fairgrounds were moved northeast of M-22 and Jones Road.

In the late 1880’s about the time the fair moved to Onekama, Mr. J.H. Shults entered the printing business. Mr. Shults printed a newspaper, did routine job printing, and handled specialty printing for schools. Like other businessmen, he used the fair to advertise his services to local farmers.

The Manistee County Agricultural Society Fair in 1894 was held on September 26, 27 and 28 at the Onekama fairgrounds. There were many events, and among the events were bicycle races, horse races and free-for-all races. "In 1887, there were several games of chance in progress -- pitching for canes and knives, shooting the target, ringing bells, etc.," states a 1987 News Advocate article by Mr. Steve Harold called "A Centennial Fair."

The major part of the fair was agricultural products. There was an Exhibition Hall where people displayed their goods. "As we entered the Exhibition Hall we found it well filled with the products of the farm, garden and loom . . . The pears, the apples, the peaches, the plums, the grapes, and other small fruits, were wonderful to behold. They fairly made one’s mouth water," stated the editor of The Times Sentinel, in an article written about the eleventh fair of the Manistee County Agricultural Society, over one hundred years ago. They even published papers from the grounds. J.H. Shults published the first paper. Dancing was also very popular then.

The idea of constructing a new dance pavilion was announced in April 1929. The construction’s cost was to be under $5,000. The dance pavilion was so popular it was held open all summer. "Even in 1887, dancing was the most popular amusement on the grounds. The dance hall was crowded all day, and the dance was continued until late in the evening" ("A Centennial Fair," Manistee News Advocate, September 5, 1987).

The Manistee County Fair has been around over 130 years and will continue to thrive for many years to come. Today’s fair is very different than the first fair. Not only does it have animals, crops and farm equipment, but it also has thrilling rides, exciting games, and demolition derbies.

Today, surely almost everyone in our area has been to the Manistee County Fair in Onekama, whether it was for the rides, the animals, or the demolition derby. There is never a dull moment when you go to the fair. The fair is a place where everyone can have a good time.

"Portage Hills"
By Donald Crouch

Portage hills are green again,

Portage waters bright and blue,

The winds across the ripples play,

And snow white sails are passing through.

Like sails, the fleecy clouds above

Tack to and fro, or idly drift

Across their sea of sunny blue,

And never anchor cast or lift.

Beyond the harbor’s sandy arm,

The Great Lake’s waves roll white and high,

A distant smoke wreath follows slow

A south-bound steamer moving by.

The sand dunes front the breezy shore,

And, drifting backward year by year,

Leave bare their domes of wind-swept sand,

Where tops of buried trees appear.

Away, as far as eye can see,

The white and curving shoreline veers,

‘Til lost within the hazy blue,

Its fading outline disappears.

Between the hills the channel lies,

By long piers flanked on either side,

And Portage waters flowing out,

Upon the rocking billows ride.

Here turn the vessels bound for port,

And here the lighthouse rears its form,

The faithful guard through long, long years,

Of pleasant calm and raging storm.

As seasons come and seasons go,

Each, passing, leaves some change to view,

But Portage hills are green and fair,

And Portage waters bright and blue.

"Onekama Glen"
by Lincoln Phifer

You may talk of resorts where tourists assemble

to bathe or to boat, or for fishing, but when

You long for sheer beauty, there’s naught to resemble

The rest and repose of Onekama Glen.

The hemlocks and beeches and birches and maples,

The sparkle of waters that sing in the fen,

The hidden lake rounded like famed bay of Naples,

Give peace and soft dreams to Onekama Glen.

The great, flowing springs that flash clear, unexpected

As sweet to the taste as birds to the ear,

To your tales of the past and its music connected,

For Onekama Glen weave a music most clear.

Oh, blest are the few elect people who find it,

And blest be the men who preserve it for men

Who list to its lure and lay cares down behind it,

Yet hold its dear beauty — Onekama Glen.

 

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The Memorial Fountain
By Tara Lyman, Brenen Meister, and Katie Revolt

Many times have you walked past the Onekama Park, but have you ever noticed the Memorial Fountain? The Memorial Fountain is an ornamental fountain made from cast iron, with a zinc figure, and is standing on a concrete base. The standing figure is of a merman, blowing a horn and riding a dolphin. The fountain is seventy-seven inches in height and is eighty-eight inches wide (across the lowest basin).

On July 17, 1986, the fountain was listed on the Michigan State Register of Historic Sites. The Memorial Fountain was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 8, 1988.

The Onekama Park was not the original home of the fountain. The fountain once stood in front of the Manistee County Courthouse. However, after a fire in 1950, the courthouse land was cleared to build a new one, and in 1951, the fountain was set up in Onekama Village Park by the Portage Lake Garden Club. The Fountain was dedicated to the servicemen from our area that have lost their lives.

In an unfortunate period in the fountain’s history, the statue was stolen from the park on July 20, 1973. On February 21,1974, Sheriff Ford Waterman found the statue on his front doorstep with an apology note. The statue was then returned to its home in the park.

In 1987, a celebration was held to honor the100th anniversary of the fountain. A bronze marker was placed in front of the fountain to announce its Michigan historical site designation. Mr. Tom Gerhardt collected the history of the fountain and was responsible for registering it as a historical site in 1986.

The Portage Lake Garden Club continues to take care of the fountain and to landscape the area around it. In 1999-2000, the fountain was disassembled and repainted through the work of the Garden Club and students in the Onekama Community Corps Program, thanks to a grant. In June of 2000, the fountain was moved back to the park where it continues to stand today.

This fountain is rich in history and deserves to be recognized. In fact, it is one of the few surviving fountains of its kind that once existed in Michigan in the late nineteenth century. So, next time you are in Onekama, don’t over look the memorial fountain. Take a look, and you will see history looking back at you.

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