Docents' Guide to the Douglas Exhibition 1995

cover page

cover page

Name/Title

Docents' Guide to the Douglas Exhibition 1995

Entry/Object ID

2022.88.31

Scope and Content

28-page photocopy of a draft "Docents' Guide to the Exhibition." The exhibition referred to was various called "Village to Shore Celebrating Douglas 1870-1995" and "Douglas: The Village of Friendliness — 1995." The guide was likely written by Jim Schmiechen and designed by Ken Carls.

Context

This draft text brought the museum's docents up to speed on Douglas history. The guide's language is friendly, accessible and pleasantly readable. It is labeled as a working copy and contains factual errors. Topics covered include the first settlers/pioneers, the building and population boom in the 1870s, the origin of the name Douglas, the lumber economy, tanning, peaches, basket factory, tourism and resorting, the Douglas Union School, the Douglas Hospital, Dutcher Lodge and churches. The guide includes profiles of the following people and their families: Jonathan and Nelson Wade, Michael B. Spencer, Robert McDonald, Homer Manvel, William Dutcher, Dr. Asa C. Goodrich, Daniel Gerber, Dyer C. Putnam, David Wiley, Joshua Weed, John Kirby and Sara Gill Kirby The text contains errors. Douglas peach farmer David Wiley is cited as inventor of anti-cutworm tin tree belts - this may be the invention of Edwin House of Saugatuck. Three copies of the guide exist. One copy is in the folder about the 1995 museum exhibit.

Collection

SDHC Exhibits, 1835 Logging and Lumbering, 1870 Fruit growing, farming, agriculture, 1875 Basket factories, 1880 Tourism steamship era -1930, 1900 Lakeshore community, Education and schools, Hospitals, medical care and doctors

Cataloged By

Winthers, Sally

Acquisition

Accession

2022.88

Acquisition Method

Found in Collection

Dimensions

Height

11 in

Width

8-1/2 in

Location

Box

164 General local history

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Wade, Jonathan 1808-1868, Dutcher, William Fuller 1800-1861, Wade, Nelson, Spencer, Michael B. 1820-1891, McDonald, Robert 1820-1889, Manvel, Homer, Putnam, Dyer Conger Sr. 1843-1894, Wiley, David W. 1837-1927, Kirby, John 1829-1882, Kirby, Sarah M. (Gill) 1861-1951, Dutcher Lodge building 1867-, Kirby House/Community Hospital before 1960, Douglas Union School 1866-, Douglas, City of the Village of

Create Date

February 8, 2023

Update Date

June 1, 2025