Name/Title
Docents' Guide to the Douglas Exhibition 1995Entry/Object ID
2022.88.31Scope 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 doctorsCataloged By
Winthers, SallyAcquisition
Accession
2022.88Acquisition Method
Found in CollectionLocation
Box
164 General local historyRelationships
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 ofCreate Date
February 8, 2023Update Date
June 1, 2025