GRAND LEDGE, Mich. — The Grand Ledge Area Historical Society Museum is marking its 50th anniversary with a new exhibit showcasing the community's manufacturing legacy.
- The historical society is celebrating 50 years of preserving Grand Ledge's unique identity and history.
- A new exhibit called "A Noble Heritage, Manufacturing" highlights the town's significant contributions to local and national manufacturing.
- • Visitors can explore how Grand Ledge craftsmen created items that reached national prominence, including chairs still used in federal buildings connected to the White House grounds.
WATCH: Grand Ledge Historical Society celebrates milestone anniversary with manufacturing history exhibit
Walking through the Grand Ledge Area Historical Society Museum offers visitors a journey through the community's rich past, from everyday items to nationally significant contributions.
"One of my fond memories every time I walk by here with my grandkids or my dog back in the past is always to see the post still standing in the front from the old carriage, buggies and whatnot," said Mike Hall, a local resident I met at the museum as he worked on repairs.
Hall has lived in Grand Ledge on and off for more than 35 years, and at one point his father even owned the house that now serves as the museum.
"When you walk in there, I mean you see the history of Grand Ledge and it's just amazing," Hall said.
This year marks a significant milestone for the organization, according to Cindy Langenberg, the museum's curator and secretary of the historical society.
"We're hitting our 50th anniversary this year as a historical Society," Langenberg said.
The museum itself has been operating for over 40 years, preserving the community's unique character and history.
Langenberg emphasized the importance of maintaining local heritage through organizations like theirs.
"Any small town that does not want to be gobbled up by a larger community and become a community needs to have some kind of an identity and our identity is one of the nine towns that the grand river actually goes through," Langenberg said.
To coincide with the anniversary celebration, the museum has unveiled a new exhibit titled "A Noble Heritage, Manufacturing."
From chairs to bricks to statues, Grand Ledge's manufacturing impact extends from local significance to national prominence.
"The original Sparty statue was done here in Grand Ledge," Langenberg said.
The town's craftsmanship has even reached the nation's capital.
"In 1964 2,800 chairs were chosen to furnish the Library of Congress and the Rayburn federal building in Washington DC and we still have, we know for sure, four chairs in the federal office. That's connected to the White House grounds still in DC," Langenberg said.
These examples represent just a fraction of Grand Ledge's manufacturing contributions throughout its history. Langenberg encourages residents to visit the museum and discover personal connections to this industrial heritage.
"They'll see something, they'll come in and it's like, oh yeah, I had an uncle who worked there, I had a grandfather who worked there and did it really come from this town," Langenberg said.
Hall expressed admiration for how the museum preserves local history.
"I love the fact that this museum is continuing to thrive, there's a lot to the history of Grand Ledge and I'm still learning," Hall said.
The museum will be open this Sunday from 2-4 p.m.
More information about the Museum.
GRAND LEDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WEBSITE
GRAND LEDGE HISTORICAL SOCIETY FACEBOOK
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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