Thank you for visiting our website.  Please explore our web pages to learn more about the Society, the exciting projects that are underway, our programs / events, and the historical information available in Arenac County.

Arenac County is situated along the Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron in the Great Lakes. It is rich in Indian history because of its abundance of hard chert and flint for arrowheads. It is rich in logging history as a part of the logging industry developed around Michigan's white pine and hardwoods as well as being a conduit to the lake for shipping the lumber produced here. The County also was the location of a 19th century summer resort hotel to which customers arrived by ship. Its history was gradually reshaped due to the disastrous wildfires that eventually destroyed the logging business in the area.

Programs:

Scheduled Programs

Programs are held the last Thursday evening of each month from May to September at 7:30 pm at the museum, 304 East Michigan Avenue in Au Gres.  All are open to the general public.  Please join us!

No Admission Charge
(Donations are encouraged to support museum programming)

Announcements:

Ye' Olde Courthouse 2008 Events

Presidents' Day starts our "Million Pennies Drive"

Our goal is to collect one million pennies in the next year.
That will give us $10,000 to pay on the mortgage for our building.
Ma's Girl's Restaurant in Omer has a big Piggy Bank where you can drop them off.
Please save your pennies for us.   Thanks!   More information on this later.

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Mary Johnston Memorial Library in Standish

On June 15, 2008 the library will celebrate it's 50th birthday...

The Mary Johnston Memorial Library was established on June 15, 1958 and on June 15, 2008 the Friends of the Mary Johnston Memorial Library are planning a birthday celebration. If anyone has any photographs of the previous library buildings, or any memories or stories about anything pertaining to the Mary Johnston Memorial Library would they please contact Phyllis Klender at klenders@centurytel.net. Thank you.

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Standish Depot Brick Walkway

Have your name or a memorial name engraved on a brick for the walkway to the bandstand.

There is still time to purchase your brick for the walkway at the Depot.   The walkway will lead to the bandstand which is being constructed on the north end of the grounds in front of the railcar display.  Bricks can be ordered directly from the Arenac Heritage Route Authority, contact the AHRA at:

ARENAC HERITAGE ROUTE AUTHORITY
P.O. BOX 727
STANDISH MI 48658

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The Olde Courthouse in Omer is the home of the

North East Michigan Baseball Exhibit

Our committee has been working with Bob Pelton to complete the vision of Cletus Vallad to establish a museum to display this extensive collection. 
Bob has done an outstanding job with the exhibit, which was dedicated on July 22, 2006.

Museum Hours:

Winter Hours:  The museum in Au Gres is open by appointment.  Call the museum at 989-876-6399 and leave a message. 
We will return your call - or call Annabell 989-876-7029, or Joann 989-876-6468.

Summer Hours:  The museum in Au Gres is open Saturday and Sunday, 1-4 pm Memorial Day though Labor Day.

Our History:

Each week, the Arenac County Historical Society presents here:

Arenac County Memories - early photos and historical moments
from the museum collection.  Check back often.

Arenac County historical photo:

A street scene in Standish - date unknown

Some photographs are reproduced with permission from the Arenac County Independent

Click here to view an album containing more of the society's historical photos.

Search:

Thanks for being visitor number since June 24, 2005.

Arenac County Historical Society; 304 East Michigan Avenue; P. O. Box 272; Au Gres, Michigan  48703-0272;  989-876-6399

General Questions or Information:  Click "contact us" on your nav bar.

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Last updated:  04/20/2008.   Content © 2005-2008 by the Arenac County Historical Society
Historical photos on this site are from the collection of the Arenac County Historical Society.   All rights reserved.