MASON, Mich. – The Mason Historical Society is dedicated to preserving the city of Mason’s illustrious history, alongside showcasing it in the Mason Museum.
The Mason Historical Society is a nonprofit volunteer organization whose goal is “to collect, preserve, and tell the stories of Mason’s history,” according to their website. They also run the Mason Historical Museum, which is open 1-3 p.m. on Saturdays and by appointment.
The society was founded in 1976, and one of its achievements include restoration of the ‘Pink School’, a unique light pink schoolhouse built in 1854 which was successfully restored and moved to West Ash Street as a historical site where visitors can see the restored old schoolhouse – according to the brochures found at the Mason Area Historical Museum.
Created from the former First Church of Christ Scientist building, the museum showcases a variety of historical artifacts, such as a one-horse open sled produced in Mason in the 1900s, alongside products made in factories around Mason in the 1960s. One of the rooms in the museum also has a collection of photos of Mason veterans who fought in historical wars.
Sarah Woods, owner of a local catering business in Mason, published a review on Facebook about the museum, mentioning that “today was my first visit inside this sanctuary, and it won’t be my last!”
Every four months, the group produces a newsletter called The Slate, detailing their activities and Mason’s history. These newsletters are free for download at the society’s website, and contain a section featuring news from 100 years ago in Mason. The website also has information about upcoming events and a membership form for the society.
Doug Klein, the secretary of the society, said the society has “general membership meetings every month, beginning in March and going through November with presentations.”
“We have a lot of different talks and presentations; We have people come in and talk about various historical events.”
Those events include presentations on different topics such as the history of probation and the history of the library in relation to the town, alongside fairs and guided tours. Additional events include singalongs for families and programs on various historical topics like old photographs and automobiles.
The society also has published several books about Mason’s history, which can be bought at local bookstores in Mason. These books include stories from WWII veterans from Mason, a children’s book about the Pink Schoolhouse, and magazines with a collection of old Mason newspaper headlines.
Membership applications, historical facts about Mason, and more general information about the society can be found on the website, at masonmuseum.org.
On April 17, the society will celebrate the Mason Historical Museum’s 25th anniversary with a ribbon cutting ceremony.