September 8, 2004
Heritage Center finds cherries ripe exhibit topic
Permanent cherry and fruit agriculture exhibit features historic photos, equipment and labels from area processors
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Delicious Brand Reds, Glen Haven Black Sweets, Sleeping Bear Black Sweets and Arbutus Pitted Reds - the cherry industry's history is ripe with regional allure.
The new Cherry and Fruit Agriculture Exhibit at the Grand Traverse Heritage Center delves into that narrative, guiding visitors through the industry's inception, growth and maturity over the past 100 years.
The display is located in the Oleson Foundation Exhibit Room and features a range of historical photographs and postcards. In addition to an outline of the industry's history, the exhibit includes cherry lugs from growers, a sample of orchard equipment plus a wall filled with labels from local cherry and fruit processors.
Two of the walls in the room include detailed murals of an orchard's four seasons, painted by local artist Joan Bonney. Outside the room are shelves housing all products cherry, from Jell-O and toaster pastries to pies and canned fruit.
The region's cherry and fruit industry began with the first white settler in the area, the Rev. Peter Dougherty. Dougherty planted cherry trees but farmers did not realize their potential until decades later in the 1890s. As the timber industry waned and the rolling hills now held open space, fruit growing stepped into the economic breach.
"People realized this wasn't a great farming area but farmers realized it was very good climate and soil to grow fruits, particularly apples and cherries," said Dan Truckey, executive director of the Grand Traverse Heritage Center. "At that time, cherries were a luxury item, fairly rare. Then they flourished here and just became Traverse City's new industry."
Truckey culled through the Heritage Center's files for some of the material, drawing other items from the community or the Cherry Marketing Institute. A series of binders will house a changing array of photographs and information as more becomes available.
The exhibit discussed the different type of cherries and outlines industry statistics for the nation. In the future, the display will include two videos on cherry farming produced by Bill Jameson: "Cherryland" and "Fruit of Dreams."
The Heritage Center's first exhibit after opening two years ago focused on the National Cherry Festival's history. That temporary exhibit prompted Truckey to explore a permanent exhibit on an industry that had such regional influence.
"It became very obvious when people came to the museum asking about cherries that something was needed," he recalled. "It made it a very high priority to get a permanent display."
Truckey successfully wrote grants to the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the Traverse Area Arts Council, the National Cherry Festival and the Cherry Marketing Institute for the exhibit. The exhibit has been in the works for the past five months.
"It is nice to have a permanent display, nice for the people in the cherry industry to see that the community respects the industry and salutes it with a permanent display," said Dr. Gary Kaberle.
Kaberle is a member of the Cherry Marketing Institute board and he helped Truckey incorporate cherry industry pictures and information into the exhibit.
"It's kind of neat to see what's happened in over 100 years in the industry, how it grew, how people in the industry evolved," he noted. "It's always nice to celebrate something about the cherry industry in the area."
The Grand Traverse Heritage Center, 322 Sixth St., is open Tuesday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission is free through March of 2005. For more information about the new exhibit or the center, call 995-0313.