Traditions
Portraits
Calendar: lots to do in Pentwater
Weekdays
There are lots of things to do at Park Place: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays: Pentwater Fitness Pump, 8:30 a.m.
Tuesdays: Mahjong, 10 a.m.
Wednesdays: Knitting, 1 p.m. & Line Dancing, 6 p.m.
Second & Fourth Wednesdays: Bunco, 10:30 a.m.
Thursdays: Zumba Gold Toning, 9:30 a.m.
Full calendar can be found at: pentwatervillage.org/park-place-event-center.php
The 2024-2025 Sculpture Walk formally began June 1, 2024 and will go through May 31, 2025.
Mondays & Thursdays
• Pentwater Farmers Market, Village Green, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Tuesdays
• Comedy Night at The Village Pub, 9 p.m.
Wednesdays & Saturdays
• Ensign Sailboat Races, Pentwater Yacht Club, Wednesdays at 5 p.m. and Saturdays at 11:45 a.m.
Thursdays
• Civic Band Concerts on the Village Green, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 7
• VFW Pancake Breakfast, 8 a.m. to noon.
Monday, July 8
• Parks and Recreation Meeting, Park Place Community Center, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, July 9
• Pentwater Arts Council Board Meeting, Park Place Community Center, 4 p.m.
Saturday, July 13
• 59th Annual Fine Arts Fair on the Village Green, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday, July 15
• Village Council Meeting, Park Place Community Center, 6 p.m.
• Pentwater Lake Association Meeting, Centenary Methodist Church, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 18
• Pentwater Book of the Month Club, Park Place Community Center, 6:30-9 p.m.
Friday, July 19
• Back from the Mac party, PYC, 5 p.m. to midnight
Friday, July 26
• Gallery Stroll through Pentwater art galleries, 4-7 p.m.
Tuesday, July 30
• Planning Commission Meeting, Park Place Community Center, 6 p.m.
Saturday, August 3
• “Teach A Kid Derby” Fishing Tournament, Pentwater Sportfishing Association.
• COVE 5K/10K Beach Walk/Run, Charles Mears State Park, 8:30 a.m.
August 8-11
• 93rd Pentwater Homecoming Celebration, Visit pentwatervillage.org for all Homecoming events and updates.
Thursday, August 8
• Pentwater Lake Association, Strawberry Shortcake Sale, 6 p.m. until gone.
• Les Bailey Memorial Band Concert, Village Green, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, August 9
• Sand Sculpture Contest, Charles Mears State Park, 8 a.m.
Saturday, August 10
• Homecoming Grand Parade, downtown Pentwater, 4 p.m.
• Big Ten Tailgate Party, Tent Behind Village Pub, noon.
• Homecoming fireworks at dusk, Charles Mears State Park.
Sunday, August 11
• VFW Pancake Breakfast, 8 a.m. to noon.
Traditions is published by The Oceana Echo © P.O. Box 192, Mears, MI 49436 July 5, 2024 • All rights reserved. Writers: AnnaMae Bush & Caleb Jackson Advertising: Jan Thomas Traditions Editor & Designer: Amanda Dodge theoceanaecho@gmail.com Enjoy our free Pentwater magazine!
IBy AnnaMae Bush Traditions Writer
n April, the Pentwater Service Club (PSC) invited local groups to submit ideas to be supported by undesignated funds the PSC had available. Although far more ideas were received than the club could fund, they decided to provide an additional scholarship and to pay for two benches for the Pentwater Township Cemetery. The township purchased four more benches. On Friday, June 7, several PSC members met at the cemetery to assemble all six benches. The benches will be scattered in various places around the cemetery to enable visitors to enjoy a quiet space for reflection.
Volunteers included Lynn Cavazos, Pete Bush, John Faas, Mark Trierweiler, Steve Russell, Lee Hammontree and Township Trustee Dean Holub.
Pentwater Township Cemetery, itself, has an intriguing history. It was founded in November 1860, when local resident Jacob Brillhart’s young son died. Brillhart purchased a block of land for a cemetery outside the village limits at the time and later deeded the land to the town. His son, Willie, was the first burial at the cemetery, which existed in the space currently occupied by the Pentwater Historical Museum.
Club volunteers at Pentwater Cemetery
This location served as the Township Cemetery until 1870, when 40 acres of land were purchased for $5 per acre from the Flint and Pere Marquette Railroad for a new cemetery. In the fall of that year, use of the original cemetery was discontinued, and over the next nine years, many of the remains were moved to the present cemetery site.
In December 1879, E.H. Hutson was contracted to move the last 70 bodies to the new cemetery. At some unknown time, the eastern portion of the original 40-acre parcel was sold. The present cemetery contains some 20 acres of land.
In the 1990s, four new blocks were developed, and a columbarium containing 48 niches was added as well as a maintenance building. Other upgrades included improvements to the entrance and the installation of irrigation systems in selected blocks.
In 2012, six additional blocks with underground irrigation were developed, adding over 600 new sites to the cemetery. Three blocks were specifically dedicated to the burial of cremains, and the columbarium was expanded to include an additional 96 niches. A Scatter Garden was made available for families who might prefer scattering ashes in a natural setting instead of confining them to space in a columbarium.
Currently, 2,687 people are buried in the cemetery.
Thank you to Township Clerk Maureen Murphy who provided facts from historical documents.
Pentwater lake assoC iation board meeting set for July 15
The Pentwater Lake Association board of directors will meet on Monday, July 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Centenary Methodist Church at 82 N. Hancock St., Pentwater.
The public is invited to attend; please enter on the Hancock Street Hall entrance.
Membership in the Pentwater Lake Association is open to all individuals interested in the lake, its natural resources and water quality. Members do not have to own lake property in order to join the non-profit organization.
More details and past meeting minutes are available on the Pentwater Lake Association website at www.pentwaterlakeassociation.com.
Congratulations to our Seniors on your graduation and thank you to all of our teachers and staff for all they do towards making Pentwater an amazing and successful district!
a C ountywide r ailroad r ivalry
By Caleb Jackson Traditions Writer
There was, in the early days of our county, much rivalry between Pentwater and Hart. This rivalry manifested itself in the struggle for the county seat, which Hart took in the end. Being too far north and too far from the heart of the county was too big a stumbling block for our burgeoning Pentwater to overcome. One struggle in which Pentwater succeeded, however, was the push for a railroad.
The railroad interest had a major impact on Oceana as a whole. Entire towns sprung up around the depots, and it helped the county transition from a lumber-based economy to an agricultural-based one, allowing for the export of fruits. The Oceana County history book put out by the Historical Society in 1990 says, “The first train reached Pentwater in March of 1872. Almost overnight, a new town, Mears, in Golden Township, sprang up west of Hart on the railroad, and another town, Barnett, blossomed five miles directly south of Hart in Shelby Township. This town later became Shelby.” It would seem that early on, a stop-off at Hart was in the cards, but near the end of the planning, this idea was discarded. In Hartwick and Tuller’s book, “Oceana County Business Men and Pioneers of To-Day,” they write, “Great rivalry existed between Pentwater and Hart, and through the influence of some of the leading Pentwater citizens, the line of the proposed road did not touch Hart village and reached Pentwater on the south side of Pentwater Lake.” The aforementioned Historical Society
books tell it a little differently, saying, “Hart business leaders had fought to get the railroad through their town, but there was simply nothing they could do about the fact that Hart was surrounded by a rim of high hills which the railroad interests could not afford to surmount.” It is worth noting that a large portion of the “railroad interests” mentioned here probably constituted Pentwater businessmen. Two of those men were Samuel A. Browne and, of course, Charles Mears. Mears had commercial interest not only in Pentwater, but also in the village of Mears, which “sprang up overnight” once the railroad was built.
One key figure that we must talk about in bringing the rail to Pentwater, though, is Samuel A. Browne. Browne served as the secretary and treasurer of the Pentwater Lumber Company, and so it is no surprise that he wanted the rail. In H. R. Page’s History of Oceana County, he says, “Mr. Browne, on his arrival at Pentwater, saw at once the prime necessity of railroad communication, and set himself at work with characteristic energy to secure that boon.… He secured a pledge of $50,000 in stock… and in three months preparations were under way to lay a track from Montague to Pentwater.” Not only that but it would seem that his foresight helped guide the future of our
county. “Seeing that the fruit and stock interests would become, after the lumbering was over, the paramount interests of Oceana, Mr. Browne threw his energy into these channels, and demonstrated in a number of cases the value of sandy soil for fruit raising…”
Earlier in this article, we mentioned how the town of Shelby “blossomed overnight” following the arrival of the railroad. Well, Page’s history gives us a bit more detail on that too.
When putting through the railway, finding it impossible to procure right of way and depot grounds at a reasonable price from the then owner of the farm on which the village of Shelby is located, Mr. Browne concluded, in company with Mr. Pettinger, of Shelby Township, F. A. Nims of Muskegon, and J. G. Graw of Pentwater, to purchase the farm of Mr. Bryant for the sum of $4,000, then deeded to the railroad company, free, the depot grounds and right of way through the land, and at once had the property platted, and in this way originated the present thriving village of Shelby….
So, there you have it. If it wasn’t for the likes of Mr. Browne and a few other domineering Pentwater citizens, along with a healthy rivalry with Hart, then the impact of the rail on Pentwater, and even on all of Oceana itself, may have been totally different.
b a C k from the m a C : a t
By AnnaMae Bush Traditions Writer
The upbeat music carries across the water to the homes on the south side of Pentwater Lake. The laughter and babble of many voices fill in the gaps between the band’s songs. Long lines of rafted sailboats stretch into the lake, near the channel in front of the Pentwater Yacht Club (PYC). It is impossible to look at the maze of tall masts in the sky and determine which mast belongs to which ship in the huddled mass of large, beautiful vessels. Crowds of people swarm the decks and parking lot at the PYC, and they dance where they can find space in front of the band.
The excitement in the air is contagious. The revelry goes on unabated into the wee hours of the morning. It happens every summer on a particular Friday night in July. What is “it”? The sailors call it “the party after the party,” since typically the “Race to Mackinac” sailors enjoy some hard partying on Mackinac Island before they head back to Chicago.
Pentwater’s annual “Back from the Mac” party is a tale of the connection made between two yacht clubs, the Chicago Yacht Club and the PYC. Considering the differences between the city of Chicago and the Village of Pentwater, one could easily wonder about how that connection was made. It is a fact that many folks in Pentwater have had, or still have, homes in both locations. It is also true that many of those folks love to sail. Two such people were the catalyst many years ago for the local Back from the Mac party tradition: Jack Patterson and Janet Webber. Here is some context for our tale.
Since 1898, the Chicago Yacht Club has held an annual “Race to Mackinac.” According to their website, it is the oldest freshwater distance race in the world, a course of 333 miles starting from the Chicago Lighthouse off Navy Pier and ending at the Round Island Lighthouse off Mackinac Island. Since its inception, it has been canceled only twice: in 1920 due to effects from WWI and in 2020 due to Covid restrictions. Weather has never caused a cancellation, but it surely has frequently hampered the race and impacted the results. While the original competition included only five boats, recent years have seen more than 300 boats compete and 3,000 sailors participate. The 115th “Race to Mackinac” is scheduled this year for July 12 (cruising division) and July 13 (all other divisions). Ships race through the night as well as through bad weather and normally take 40-60 hours to complete the course. But
favorable conditions have enabled a monohull to win in less than 24 hours and a multihull to win in less than 19 hours. Competing boats are classified by size and type, and speeds are mathematically rated to establish an equitable basis for determining the winners. Competitors come from locations around the globe, and over the years, there have been several Pentwater residents who have sailed in the race. In fact, Bill Bluhm (on “Northern Light” and “Condor”), Jim Burch (on “Thunderbolt”) and David Nobles all raced the required 25 times to earn membership in the ”Island Goat Sailing Society.” Burch also won twice, with “Thunderbolt” taking first in her section in both 2002 and 2006.
Now, back to the origins: Patterson owned a marine repair service in Chicago before he moved to Pentwater and operated Patterson Marine Storage here. He knew a significant number of the sailors in Chicago, including many who sailed in the “Race to Mackinac.” Patterson was well-liked in Chicago, and his sailor friends enjoyed visiting him in Pentwater, often on their way back from Mackinac. Webber’s office was down the street from the Columbia Yacht Club in Chicago, and she loved to sail. She had many friends in the sailing community who also stopped to see her in Pentwater on their way back from the race. A collegial relationship developed between the two biggest Chicago yacht clubs, the Chicago Yacht Club and Columbia Yacht Club, and the Pentwater Yacht Club. Since Pentwater is
ale of t wo y a C ht C lubs
located near the halfway point of the Chicago to Mackinac race, it had long been one harbor where sailors made an informal stop on the return to Chicago.
According to “The History of Pentwater Yacht Club, 1935-2020,” that informality morphed in 1999. As some of Webber’s friends were among the returning sailors who sat on the dock casually playing their guitars, she suggested turning this small gathering into an official yacht club party and calling it the “Back from the Mac Party.” Three members of the Columbia Yacht Club in Chicago offered to help promote the event in Chicago and to bring a band, “The Montgomery Street Band,” the following year. In 2000, Webber got PYC board permission to advertise the dock party. She recounts, “I plastered flyers announcing our party at every Chicago yacht club (and even Milwaukee Yacht Club), and we’d take flyers to Mackinac Island. I designed T-shirts to pay for the band. Jack Patterson offered to co-chair the event with me.” Surprised by the strong response from sailors that first year, the club ran out of food and beverages as 17 boats rafted out front of the yacht club and sailors partied late into the night. In 2001, PYC fronted the expenses and the party expanded to more than 30 boats. Webber said, “Visiting sailors nicknamed our club ‘The Blue Chair Lounge’ because they’d spot our blue chairs when approaching from the channel. PYC was always a welcome sight. At our peak year, we had over 38 race boats rafted off the PYC dock, and more boats would tie up at the public marina.” Webber and Patterson continued to chair the event until 2009.
In 2009, the LaHaye family, Mike and Marsha and their daughter Laura Ellam, took over chairing the event and directed it for the next 10 years. They continued the tradition of creating an original shirt design every year. The party had become PYC’s largest and most popular event of the year. The spirit of the visiting sailors was irrepressible. “A few times, there was a surprise cloudburst during the party…The members would run into the
club, but the sailors would all scramble to put on their foul weather gear and continue to dance on the dock.” Marsha chuckled as she shared, “Yacht club members would race to sign the volunteer sheets as soon as they appeared. We would easily garner 80 eager volunteers for setting up, selling tickets, cooking and serving the food and cleaning up afterwards.” She continued, “The grill masters were busy for hours. I think the most popular menu item was the grilled corn on the cob dipped in butter.” The public was invited to join the fun by purchasing tickets from the PYC, and residents responded enthusiastically as well. The local party was canceled only once, when the Chicago Yacht Club canceled the race to Mackinac in 2020. When the party resumed in 2021, the PYC had a new facility with a well-appointed kitchen and full-time staff who provided support to the volunteers who cooked and served the food.
Since 2021, the event has been held largely outdoors with a “plan B” in place should the weather be uncooperative. The menu is wider but always includes the fresh corn on the cob. Restroom facilities in the Yacht Club and at the Village Marina are open to visiting sailors, and crews who do not wish to party “all night” find an alternate place to moor their boat for quiet sleep. The PYC offers a Saturday morning menu, including breakfast burritos for the visitors before they head out for Chicago. Webber claims, “By Saturday afternoon, everything is cleaned up and you’d never know there had been a party there. I must admit that when we started the Back from the Mac party in 1999, I never dreamed it would still be going 25 years later!”
This year’s Back from the Mac party will take place on Friday, July 19, with music by the band RISQUE out of Grand Rapids. Dancing and fun are inevitable. Food will be available from 5-10 p.m., and the public may purchase tickets from the PYC for $20 each. All ages are welcome, and PYC General Manager Jordan Aebig anticipates a crowd of 200-250 attendees.
Skilled, civic-minded members of the Pentwater Artisan Learning Center (PALC) are often quick to step in when they see an opportunity to advance a community project. A recent example is the relocation of the “Water Maiden” sculpture from its temporary location on Second Street. The piece earned the “People’s Choice Award” in the Pentwater Arts Council’s (PAC) 2023 Sculpture Walk.
After the Arts Council purchased “Water Maiden” from artist Robert L. Barnum of Mecosta, Mich., the club generously donated it to the Village of Pentwater. But a dilemma presented itself: how to pay for pouring a concrete base at the new location along the Channel in Bridge Park, fabricating a sturdy pedestal to attach the sculpture to the base, and relocating and installing the piece?
That’s when Pentwater residents and PALC members Harry Brodbeck (20 years) and Darryl Massa (nine years) volunteered to lead the job, assisted by several other PALC members at times. Said Massa, “it took a total of about 50 man hours over 10 days to complete the job.” Added Brodbeck, “The base and pedestal were designed so that boaters can clearly see the sculpture from the water. And it’s accessible to pedestrians from the end of Bridge Street.”
A bystander who watched the sculpture being installed on June 24 said, “This is the perfect location; it looks like the artist sculpted it with this exact spot in mind!”
“The Arts Council is in our third year of a three-year Public Arts Sculpture project,” PAC Co-President Judy Pazol said. “Residents and visitors have the opportunity to view a set of unique sculptures located within the Village of Pentwater, learn about each artist’s
u P to s u PP ort P entwater
view of their art piece, and vote for their favorite sculpture.’’
Each work is also available for purchase. Four displayed in the first or second years were bought by generous donors and donated to the people of Pentwater. Five new sculptures have now been placed around the village until May 31, 2025, and each is available for purchase for either personal or donation purposes.
PALC board member Sue Hopp had this to say: “The Artisan Center fits Pentwater perfectly. Our members are there for the needs of others, like the Arts Council! Caring and sharing was always Barb and Gene Davidson’s way when they founded the PALC more than 20 years ago.”
have also helped support this PAC project by constructing and installing frames for place marker signs at each sculpture display location.
For more information about the Artisan Center, check out https://pentwaterartisan. org/. Currently, it has reached 70 percent of its $250,000 fundraising goal. Contributions can conveniently be made at www.oceana-foundation. org > Give > Our Funds. Then, search for “Equipping the Pentwater Artisan Learning Center for the Next 20 Years Fund.”
For more information about the PAC or the sculptures, go to pentwaterartscouncil. org. Any piece now on display can be purchased by contacting Judy Pazol at jppazol@aol.com.
PALC volunteers Barry Freed and Jim Crumm
Each nonprofit also has a Facebook page.
Darryl Massa and Harry Brodbeck of the PALC, and PAC Co-President Janet Nelson admire “Water Maiden” at its new location in Pentwater’s Bridge Park, at the entrance to the Channel.
P entwater J r . w omen ’ s C lub J uried
By AnnaMae Bush Traditions Writer
The Pentwater Jr. Women’s Club hosts its 59th Annual Juried Art and Craft Fair on Saturday, July 13, at the Pentwater Village Green, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This popular event draws artists from near and far, as distant as Florida. Some have been coming for many years. The show is always on the second Saturday in July. Club members Kendra Flynn and Barbara Curtis have been involved for over 40 years, and Flynn said, “I can remember only one show that was shut down by torrential rain. We have had brief showers and some wind, but we have been truly fortunate with weather.”
Artist booths this year include ceramics (14), wood (9), paintings (9), sculptures (5), mixed media (7), jewelry (17), fiber (5), other media including wax and dried flowers (5), photography (4), leather (1), metal (1), and glass (1). Pentwater residents will recognize local artists Cyndy Callog, an author and illustrator who paints; Karin Antrim, a ceramicist; and former resident Andrea Blohm, a milliner.
Artists who wish to have a booth must apply to be accepted. The process begins online, through a program called ZAPPlication. Prospective par-
ticipants must send an artist statement, contact information and photos of their work, which are then forwarded to a group of club members and artists who make final decisions on which artists to accept. Fees and correspondence are handled by ZAPP, which simplifies the process for the club. The quality of the work displayed is more important than the quantity of booth spaces sold, so there may be fewer vendors from one year to another. The club tries to keep a balance of diverse types of art media, and an artist’s inclusion one year does not guarantee acceptance the following year. The show requires artists to be present in their booths during the fair and requires that they sell only products that they have made themselves.
Are there reasons this Pentwater show appeals to artists—reasons that bring them back year after year? Curtis said, “Yes, there are several. They love the setting by the water and the proximity to the charming village stores. They like that it’s juried. They say that the people in the community are friendly and welcoming. And they like the fact (that) this is a one-day show rather than a two-day show. A single day saves them the cost of an overnight stay. It also motivates shoppers to buy more quickly. Customers can’t browse casually with the idea they will make purchasing decisions the next day.”
I asked several of the club members if they
a rt f air s u PP orts o ur C ommunity
could recall any memorable stories from the history of the juried fair. Curtis recounted the experience of a chainsaw artist from the Ludington area. He had never displayed his unique art pieces at any show. He called and nervously asked, “Is it too late to apply?” Curtis told him, “No.” He went through the process, was accepted, and took his art pieces to his assigned booth. “He sold nearly every piece he brought, and he was both surprised and thrilled. It was rewarding to see how affirmed he felt.”
The Pentwater Jr. Women’s Club (PJWC) was founded in 1964 to support community projects and have fun while providing needed support. They have contributed funds to a multitude of programs listed on their website. In 1977, they took over hosting the Juried Art & Craft Fair from the Chamber of Commerce. The proceeds from their 2023 Juried Art Fair provided support to the Pentwater Public School in three ways: the purchase of a 3-D printer for class use, the purchase of quality video equipment for students to create videos, and funds for the Pentwater Police Department School Resource Officer Program. Other past projects they have helped to fund include the drinking fountain at the Village Green, the South Entrance to the Village, the beach
walkway at Mears State Park for access to the water, a lawn sprinkler system at the Village Green, and the Friendship Center remodel. They have also contributed to the Pentwater Arts Council, the Historical Society, the Oceana 4-H, and the Pentwater Junior Sailing Program. WOW – what a ton of community support! Way to go, ladies! There are two standing programs they support continually. Each year, they award two scholarships in the amount of $2,000 to two female graduates of Pentwater School who have been involved in the community. They also support the Feeding America mobile food pantry on the third Tuesday of each month. Food distribution is located at the firehouse and is carried out by volunteers from the club, the school and the community. This program provides food support to more than one hundred families every month. I love the motto on their Facebook page under photos of the food distribution program. It reads,
“No one can help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”
Did You Know?
When I was new to Pentwater, I was confused by the fact there was a Pentwater Women’s Club and a Pentwater Jr. Women’s Club, but the women were all the same age. While researching for this article, I discovered there used to be a “rule” that members of the Jr. Women’s Club had to resign when they turned 50 years old, at which time they could join the Women’s Club. That “rule” was long ago suspended. After all, when you’ve been together for years and having fun supporting the community – who would want to leave that fellowship?
Pentwater watershed survey results are in
The Friends of the Pentwater River Watershed (Friends), a committee of the Pentwater Lake Association, and the GVSU Social Science Lab announce results of a survey recently conducted in the Pentwater River Watershed. Recognizing the importance of the larger watershed of which the Pentwater River and Hart and Pentwater lakes are a part, the Friends committee was formed in 2021 to focus on the health and concerns of the Pentwater River Watershed. Their first major task was to conduct a survey of property owners in the watershed for the purposes of guiding the technical and educational efforts to improve water quality. Property owners who received the survey included a random sample of city, rural and farming residents, both part-time and full-time.
The Friends are grateful to the 168 participants who completed the survey. The results underscored three common themes:
• First, was the landowners’ desire to protect habitat for fishing and hunting and to preserve the natural beauty of the watershed.
• Second, was the realization that water quality is impacted by nutrient runoff from watershed properties. Some respondents were actively working to reduce their nutrient runoff while others expressed a need for more information about best management tech-
niques. Water quality risks posed by failing septic systems, illicit discharges, or manure in waterways were less familiar than nutrient runoff risks to respondents.
• Third, was related to private water wells. While 95 percent of respondents used private wells for drinking water, one-third had never had their well water tested. In addition, most respondents had private septic systems that were pumped irregularly (3-5 years by 45 percent and 6-10 years by 29 percent), but a full 45 percent of the systems had never been evaluated for the soundness of their function.
The Friends will be working with local citizens, governments, the Oceana and Mason Conservation Districts, and West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission to gather additional input, provide educational topics of interest identified in the survey and obtain grant funding for implementation projects. They wish to thank the Eugene Kuhne Fund and Community Investment Fund of the Oceana County Community Foundation, Fly Fishers International and private citizens for funding this survey.
A public presentation of the survey results and other watershed plans took place Tuesday, June 25 at 7 p.m. at the Hart Community Center. Other information on the activities of the Friends can be found at www.pentwaterlakeassociation.com/watershed.
THE
Pentwater Historical society MuseuM
THE PRESIDENTIAL YACHT SEQUOIA, HAS DOCKED
We invite you to see her, our newest museum exhibit. Hear the stories of glitz, sequins and cigars…of history making Presidents…Hoover, Roosevelt, Kennedy and Nixon who boarded her to get away, to make major decisions for our nation’s future during times of war and peace. Yes, you will learn of a time when the men and women of immense power gathered on her decks to guide our nation through those important moments that changed history. We are extremely proud that the PHS Museum is the owner of this artifact, the only exact model of the Sequoia Presidential Yacht in existence, and we are proud to share the story it played in our nation’s history with our visitors. An exhibit that we believe you too, will find outstanding.
So we invite you to visit our ship. The Sequoia, that legendary boat from times past. Yes, we possess her, we own her, our own 104” model of white, mahogany, brass, pomp, and circumstance. That grand yacht which captured the hearts, the imagination of our villagers, who viewed her majestically entering our tiny Harbor that summer day of 84’.
Voted the “Best Thing” to do on a Rainy Day... We’re open June through October, Tuesday-Saturday from 1-4 p.m., with extended hours Saturday 11 AM-4 PM beginning July 2 thru August 10 85 S. Rutledge • pentwaterhistoricalsociety.org • phstours@pentwaterhistoricalsociety.org
So come to the museum…See this magnificent vessel up close. The Sequoia will be on permanent display at the PHS Museum beginning June 24, 2024.
Pentwater history Cruise returns for 2024 season
Pentwater’s “water taxi” is in the water, and area residents and visitors can again board this 1960s-era U.S. Navy whale boat (not ADA accessible) for a casual, one-hour lap around historic Pentwater Lake and down the Channel. History Cruises depart Thursdays through Saturdays at 3 p.m. from the Fourth Street Dock. The cost is $15 per passenger age 13 and older. Children 12 and under are free, but they must reserve a seat at no charge.
The captain and passengers will be joined by a Pentwater Historical Society volunteer docent who will tell stories about people and places from Pentwater’s past, going back some 400 years. While cruising past various locations, the docent will talk about early Pentwater landmarks that once stood there. These include the railroad depot, Eldred Shingle Mill, Hotel Valeria, “White Elephant,” Sears and Nichols Canning Company, Pentwater Furniture Company, Pentwater Bedstead Company, local newspaper office, U.S. Lifesaving and Coast Guard stations, ferry, swing bridge, Pentwater Brick, powder magazine site, “The Dock” and the original community hall. Passengers will also learn why nearby Dumaw Creek, northeast of the village, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
As passengers leave the boat, they can show their
appreciation for the docent’s knowledge and time by making a small donation to help support the admission-free Pentwater Historical Museum at First and Rutledge streets.
“Our History Cruise will whet one’s appetite to visit our Museum,” Pentwater Historical Society Trustee Beth Russell said. “We’ve numbered over 50 photographs and artifacts on display. Visitors can dial a local phone number on their cellphones and listen to a short, recorded narrative about any of them. It’s like having a docent whispering in your ear.”
For more information about the history and other cruises available on the historic “water taxi,”,and to make paid reservations, visit www.ptwtaxi.com. For more information about the Pentwater Historical Society and museum hours, visit www.pentwater historical society.org.
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You will immediately fall in love with this custom-built home as soon as you walk through the door. This home is meticulously crafted with natural hardwood features. The interior boasts over 2100 square feet with the primary bedroom suite and laundry on the main floor. A total of 5 bedrooms, 2 full and 2 half baths. Two large outdoor decks, one upper and one lower, overlook your 145 feet of frontage with seawall on Pentwater Lake. Enjoy fishing year-round, summer time boating, swimming and more! Close to downtown Pentwater and the US31 corridor for easy access to Ludington or Muskegon. Pre-sale home inspections have been completed. $850,000 MLS#24024015
Pentwater condo living, single family home that offers open/spacious living area with hickory hardwood floors, 3 bedroom, 2 bath and covered front porch, along with 2 car attached garage. The primary bath has low threshold shower for easy access. The association includes sidewalks and parks, year around clubhouse with exercise facility, banquet room, gathering room, library, playground, pool along with outdoor space for campfires for your enjoyment. Plus, internet, cable and all exterior maintenance is taken care for carefree living. Close to downtown, shopping, marinas and Lake Michigan. $395,000 MLS#24026903
Fabulous Lake Michigan frontage with one bedroom cottage built in the 1950s. The slope is low with easy access to the wide and sandy beach. This summer cottage has been in the same family since it was built. The views of the big lake are amazing. The cottage is ready for a rehab or start new. Beautiful building sites on the property. A new well will have to be installed as it is shared with neighboring property. Montgomery Blvd is between cottage and Lake MI. $650,000 MLS#24028255
This 12 acre property has it all in a tranquil country setting, just 5 miles from town. This home is perfect for nature lovers, with lots of windows for natural light. Each of the 3 bedrooms has ample closet space, vaulted ceilings & fans for extra comfort, though the home also has AC. The loft in the upper level could be used for extra sleeping or even an office, with the 2nd of 2 screen porches overlooking the picturesque creek running through the property. On the main level, the great room allows for large gatherings, with space for seating at the snack bar. The kitchen has an island for extra prep space & cabinet storage below. The home has a 2 car attached garage. What makes this property stand out are the possibilities provided by the 5 outbuildings! $439,500 MLS#24024091
5306 W. Longbridge Rd., Pentwater MI
6 Georgia Court, Pentwater, MI
1938 Hazel Road, Hart, MI