03-01-2018 Tri-City Area History Page

Maybe a training session? Recognize any of them? North Berrien Historical Museum is always interested in photos, stories or information sharing. The museum can be contacted at 269-468-3330 or by email to info@northberrienhistory.org.

The Paw Paw River Journal

Hartford roads What’s in a name! Well, I’ll tell you… cartographers (map makers) have a habit of labeling our smaller roads by number now. I don’t like that. Around Hartford we’ve always named our roads. And I was reminded of this some time back by an email message from a friend down St. Joe way. He said, “…we are enjoying some much needed rain but I’m not sure it will do much for the farm crops. I am glad I am not trying to eke out a living on the farm on Pinery Road, Hartford, where we used to live. Incidentally, some years ago the State required that all roads and streets be numbered and the Pinery now has a number instead of a name and I am sorry to report I do not know the official designation. I liked the other, more colorful, system better. We had Pollywog, Beany, Keeler, Bangor roads in those days.” Well, that got me thinking. And he is right. Coming east from Watervliet on Red Arrow Highway there is County Line Road. That separates Berrien and Van Buren counties. Logical! Next, just this side of the new casino is Thomas School Road, heading south and cut off by I-94, named for the first settler out there. Guess what his name was! William Thomas and his wife brought out from New York with them their nephew. He was the first Hartford settler to die in the new community, and they buried him in the Old Pioneer Cemetery across from Galati’s Pizza Emporium. Originally the Indian Trail wound right through that burial ground, and the road would become Red Arrow Highway. They decided to rebury some of the residents on the south side of the road, and Old Cenius Engle (Hartford’s self-taught lawyer) said with a wry smile they missed a few graves. So… perhaps some of those early citizens are now tempted by the aroma of baking pizza! Next road east is Pollywog Road, also cut off to the south by I-94. How that road got its name, I’ll never know! Back in the day, I traveled it enough times going out to pick up my Chief Accountant on a date. One night I almost ran into the side of a passing freight train on the C&O… there were no lights at the crossing in those days. Next road to the north is Pinery Road. This is the infamous area where Minnie Hartwell offed her husband with a pistol and caused quite a stir back in the day. I have written about this in previous columns. Where the name “Pinery Road” came from I have no idea. Perhaps some citizen could enlighten us! Just west of the Pioneer Cemetery, and across from Galati’s southward, wanders Beeny Road probably named for a Mr. Beeny. A classmate of mine, George ‘Sonny’ Morris lived at the south end of it. I have told the story before about how he went to see a scary movie, “The Mummy,” at the Heart Theater. When the show got out at 9 p.m., he knew he would have to hoof it all the way home. He said he was so scared he ran all the way… setting a new speed record when he went past the cemetery! Hartford itself is bisected by North and South Center streets. To the north we call it the Bangor Road, to the south it is the Keeler Road. This is so logical it makes the road’s numerical designation superfluous… whatever that number is. East of town the last area road I wish to discuss is Macy’s Stone Road. It runs south from Hanson’s Cold Storage into the country and was the first thoroughfare to be coated with crushed stone and tar. We loved to ride our bicycles out on that paved road after the first autumn frost, because at the intersection out there was a chestnut grove. Frosty nights split open the spiny shells, and we could gather pockets full of chestnuts. Finding them was really more fun than eating them. Well, Sports Fans that is the rundown on the roads in our area. Nary a number either. But they are all named in my memory as crystal clear as they were when we were kids. What their number designations are now, I have no idea. And I really don’t care. I know, I know, the girl who talks to us on the GPS system would treat my ignorance with disdain. That also matters little to me! A few years back we were vacationing at Ft. Myers Beach, Florida. I received a call from friend Bud Colman back in Hartford (God rest his soul). He said he had Googled our Florida town and was following the roads on his computer out to the place we were staying, and complaining bitterly because they had the roads only numbered. I was calling them all by name. Suddenly he exclaimed, “Good grief! There’s nothing on the map now… just blank space!” I said, “Turn around, Bud, and go back… you’re out over the Gulf of Mexico. Don’t want you to get lost!” I could just see the headlines: Hartford native disappears over Gulf of Mexico! It’s a story to rival the mystery of what happened to Amelia Earhart! What’s in a name? Well, when it comes to roads, I never will like those numbers. Roads need to be named in our storybook towns along the Paw Paw River… so we’ll all know what people are talking about! And you can take that to the bank!

Watervliet District Library News

Zachary – the read to me dog Every Saturday thru Spring, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Meet Zachery – a certified therapy hypoallergenic labradoodle. He has a Good Canine Citizen Certificate and is a member of the American Kennel Club; loves to be read to by kids. Adult Reading Program ends Saturday, March 3 This year’s theme is: Solve it@Your Library. Anyone 18 years and older is invited to warm up those brain cells with winter reading. 1st prize: Puzzle books; 2nd prize: Brain teasers; 3rd prize: Magnifying glass; Grand Prize Drawing: Everyone who’s read 6 books or more is entered to win two tickets to the Mendel Center “Rockin’ Road to Dublin”. Story Hour Wed. 10:30 a.m. & Thur. 1:30 p.m. Show-and-tell, stories and crafts for children ages 3 – 5 and their families. Sign up to share this structured literacy program with your preschooler! Library Garden Park Purchase a Legacy Walk brick and celebrate a memory! Bricks are $75; 13 characters, 2 lines. Pick up a form at the library. Yoga Monday 9 – 10 a.m.; Wednesday 7 – 8 p.m.; Chair Yoga, Wednesday 6:00 – 6:45 p.m.

Coloma Library News

St. Pat’s Book Sale and Story Hour The library will have a book sale from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 17. You don’t want to miss this HUGE sale! The library will remain open during the sale. To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the library will have a special Story Time at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 17. All children are welcome, there is no sign-up or fee for this event. Story Hour Story Hour meets on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Join Miss Amy for a story, craft and song time. Story Hour is a free weekly program for toddlers and preschool-aged children, it does not require sign-up. Read with Spirit Spirit, a certified therapy dog will be at the library on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Children may sign up for a 15-minute slot by stopping in at the front desk or calling the library. Reading to therapy dogs is a fun way for children to build reading confidence and fluency. Book Club The Coloma Library Book Club is meeting on Thursday, March 8 at 5:30 p.m. The title to read before the discussion is “Perennials” by Mandy Berman. Call the library at 468-3431 for more information on any of these activities.

100 years ago – 1918 Auction Sales: John Stonecliffe has sold his farm three miles southwest of Coloma to William F. Noffke and will hold a public sale. E.A. Carter will hold a sale of horses, cows, hogs, sheep and farm tools at the S.M. Keigley farm three miles northeast of Coloma. The German Spy Story surrounding H.W. Jacobs and his beautiful summer home north of Riverside has no foundation. Among many improvements, the tower caught the imagination of the neighbors. The investigation found nothing of a suspicious character. 60 years ago – 1958 Members of the Congregational church paid tribute to Paul Kull, their retiring church school superintendent. A co-operative family night supper was held. Entertainment was provided by Bennett Leedy. John Faraone gave a trumpet solo accompanied by Nancy Krieger, Mrs. William Bessemer and Beverly Dannefel. Teams in the WatCo church league will play their final games in the old high school gym. League standings show the Coloma Methodists with five wins and four losses, and the Coloma Congos with four wins and five losses. 30 years ago – 1988 City of Coloma water users face a 50-percent increase in their water rates. Finance Committee Chairman Bob Wooley brought the proposal to the Commission meeting. Rates have not been increased since 1982. Salem Lutheran Church celebrated the retirement of its $125,000 debt on its education building with a mortgage burning during their Sunday Morning Worship Service. Mr. Gene Rennhack was Chairman of the Building Committee. Last Resort Restaurant & Lounge – overlooking Paw Paw Lake. Friday: Fresh lake perch… All You Can Eat $8.95. Music by Al, Lou, Debbie The North Berrien Senior Center is sponsoring a trip to “Romantic Europe.” Contact Eleanor Kendall for additional information.

Submitted by volunteer Sandi Musick Munchow at Coloma Public Library, from the Coloma Courier newspapers donated by the Tri-City Record. Hours: Mon. & Fri., 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Tues., Wed. & Thurs. 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.; and Sat., 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Phone: 468-3431

100 years ago – 1918 Hartford’s business section narrowly escaped a disastrous fire last Thursday night when an electric coffee urn in the Schmedes & Yeckley restaurant became ignited. Mr. & Mrs. Roy Yeckley, living over the restaurant, detected smoke but believing it came from a stove they again retired. When the restaurant was opened in the morning, it was discovered that a hole had been burned through the counter. John J. Markillie has announced an auction at the D.W. Goodenough farm three miles south of Hartford. Mr. Markillie has been manager of the 640-acre farm known as the Rutland Stock Farm. The farm has been sold to Wm. M. Traver, and Mr. Markillie has purchased a farm of forty acres from Moses Charbonneau, northwest of the village, where he will make his home. 75 years ago – 1943 The Hartford Woman’s Club met at the home of Mrs. B.W. Robinson. During the meeting Mrs. Dan Staples sang “I’ll be Straying Back to Ireland” and “Just Lovin’ You”. Mrs. Letha Combes accompanied her at the piano. Mrs. L.G. Howlett, guest speaker gave a very interesting talk on “Foods for Victory”. The Hartford Mother’s Club met at the home of Mrs. Ward Plants. Mrs. Lillie Hastings was in charge of the program. During the meeting, members folded bandages for the Watervliet hospital and also sewed on a layette to be given to the Red Cross. 50 years ago – 1968 Fire destroyed the center of the south side of Main Street here on Thursday, the fifth time in 90 years that this section of the town has been hit by a serious fire. Five stores and one vacant building were lost in the fire, along with five apartments above some of the stores. Cause of the fire according to Fire Chief Harold Walker Sr. and Det. William Rucinski of the fire marshal’s division, was a mattress set afire by a five-year-old boy playing with a cigarette lighter. The buildings which were destroyed in the fire were built to replace buildings leveled in an 1877 blaze. At that time, the young village had no fire department.

Submitted by Librarian Stephanie Daniels at Hartford Public Library from microfilm copies of the Hartford Day Spring. Hours: Mon., Tues., & Wed., 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Thurs. & Fri., 10-5 p.m.; and Sat., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Phone: 621-3408

90 years ago – 1928 There was a large attendance at the Sixth Annual Ball, given by the Watervliet Volunteer Fire Company at the Ashton factory on Feb. 22, 1928. The music for the party was furnished by the Blue Ribbon Orchestra of Benton Harbor. There was a family gathering on Mar. 12, 1928 at the home of Mr. and Mrs. E.W. Austin in honor of Mrs. Austin’s birthday anniversary. Advertised on Mar. 16, 1928: 3 lbs. cooking figs .40; can asparagus tips .40; pure apple butter .25; quart cans cocoa .25; 1 lb. pure extracted honey .30; shelled popcorn .01; Monarch soups .10 60 years ago – 1958 Mr. and Mrs. Luis Mestre are the proud parents of a 7 pound, 9-1/2 ounce baby girl, Mary Patricia, born Feb. 28, 1958. Army 2/c Donald J. Rouse and his wife have been spending the past three weeks with his parents in Watervliet. Upon his return to his base, he will be leaving for Japan on Mar. 8, 1958. Sp 3 Jack L. Pitcher has become one of the nation’s first soldiers to take part in field exercises testing the Army’s new “pentomic” battle concepts. The pentomic tactical plan features streamlined units with great mobility and firepower able to meet the needs of atomic and missile-age warfare. 30 years ago – 1988 Pack 601 from St. Joseph Catholic School in Watervliet held its Pinewood Derby. The winners: Andy Osborne, 1st place; Christian Moffat, 2nd place; Keith Brinker, 3rd place. These boys went on to compete in the District Pinewood Derby in Stevensville. Keith Brinker placed 4th in the races and won a trophy. Watervliet Public Schools will be forming its fourth formal ‘Educational Partnership’ with Sarett Nature Center for the 1987-88 school year. The Watervliet City Commission will seek to sell $284,000 in municipal bonds to make repairs on its sanitary sewer system. The repair project was needed to stem the flow of ground and rain water into the sewer system; from which the sewage flow is charged to the City by the Paw Paw Lake Sewage Treatment Plant.

Submitted by Sally Q. Gonzalez from files at Watervliet District Library from the Watervliet Record newspapers donated by the Tri-City Record. Hours: Mon. & Wed., 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Tues., Thurs. & Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Sat., 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Phone: 463-6382