October 29, 2003
Days of old in new calendar
Local historical calendar benefits Heritage Center
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Call it serendipity.
When Susan Bays, owner of Arbutus Press, began attending occasional board meetings of the Grand Traverse Pioneer and Historical Society, she fell in love with the organization's home in the Grand Traverse Heritage Center.
The Heritage Center, which also houses the Con Foster Museum and four other non-profit organizations, is located in the former Carnegie Library building. This building was constructed in 1904, which also happened to be the year Perry Hannah, one of the founders of Traverse City, died.
So, Bays began thinking: history, Heritage Center, former library, one hundred years ago_hmmm, a historical calendar would be just the ticket. She proposed a joint venture to Dan Truckey, executive director of the Heritage Center, who eagerly agreed to collaborate.
With 1,000 calendars printed and for sale, the proceeds of which will benefit the Grand Traverse Heritage Center, the idea is now reality.
"It's a fund-raiser but it is also a way of getting the history of the area out to the public," Truckey said. "This is something they can hang in their own homes, a little history."
"I was really excited (by Susan's idea) because it was something we wanted to do before but did not find the time to do it and the skills to do it," he noted.
Already August when the project officially began, Bays moved quickly. She tapped members of the Grand Traverse Pioneer and Historical Society for help choosing photographs.
Bays, Steve Harold, president of the society, and Dave Pennington, a board member of the society, culled through thousands of historical photos. They delved into the meticulously organized files in the society's collection, located in the basement of the Heritage Center. After much thought, they selected 13 photographs (the calendar includes January 2005.)
"Selecting photographs was the most fun part," said Bays, who serves as the alternate for the Mayfield representative to the Grand Traverse Pioneer and Historical Society. "I wanted them to be seasonal and also to have people in each one, it makes them more interesting."
Bays then headed to the archives located in the basement of the Osterlin Library at Northwestern Michigan College. She was determined to find a relevant story or two from 100 years ago to accompany each month's photograph.
"I tried to find stories that were humorous to make the calendar fun," Bays said.
Searching microfilm files through a year's worth of the Traverse City Evening Record, the daily newspaper at the time, she found what she was looking for.
"I just was lucky enough to find stories related to the photos," she recalled. "2004 is also the 100th anniversary of Perry Hannah's death, which I didn't know until I read it in the Evening Record. I also learned that was the year the library was built."
Bays also sprinkled throughout the calendar facts and tidbits from 1904. For example, on May 6, the ice was out of the Grand Traverse Bay but on May 10 snowflakes fell. In addition, the temperature rose to 103 degrees on April 14 that year while January 9 saw a low of -18 degrees.
Bays, Herald and Truckey will showcase a variety of historical photos and discuss historical preservation issues on Monday, November 3, at 7 p.m. The presentation will be held at the Traverse Area District Library as part of their Live! At the Library series.
"People can embrace a community if they understand its history," Bays said. "I know it's true for me."
The Grand Traverse Heritage Center 2004 calendar may be purchased for $12 plus tax at the Grand Traverse Heritage Center, the Traverse Area District Library Gift Shop, Horizon Books and Border's Books and Music. They are also available directly from Arbutus Press by phoning 946-7240.