24th Annual Covered Bridge Bike Tour
On May 31, 2018 July 20, 2018 By emmapalovaIn Covered Bridges, events, Fallasburg Bike Tour, Fallasburg Historic Village, Fallasburg Historical Society, historic preservation, history, Uncategorized3 Comments
Join us for the 24rd Annual Covered Bridge Bike Tour!
Pedal through the beautiful countryside at your own pace.
Date: Sunday, July 8, 2018
Fallasburg historic village is located three miles north of Lowell, Michigan.
Registration: At the school house from 7-9 a.m.
You can also register online by filling out the form below on the Fallasburg website:
http://www.fallasburg.org
For application and waiver go to: http://www.fallasburg.org/bike-tour/
Start location: 13944 Covered Bridge Road, Lowell, MI 49331
Tour options (in miles): 12, 28, 40, 50, 62, 78, 100
Registration fee: $25 for individuals / $35 for family
After deadline (July 2): $30 for individuals / $40 for family
More information: Ken Tamke 616-682-0785 kentamke@comcast.net
Directions to Fallasburg from Lowell:
North approximately 3 miles to Fallasburg Park Drive.
Right to entrance to park.
Angle right on Covered Bridge Road.
Over covered bridge to school house. Park in field across the street.
*Look for county signs alerting you to the Park/Bridge/Historic Village.
Bike Tour Release & Registration
Please submit this form to register if you are not using Paypal.
You may also print this page & bring it to the event or mail it to:
Ken Tamke
215 Greentree Ct NE
Ada, MI 49301-9709
Disclaimer form
All participants must sign the release at the event. (See below.) Payment is for registration purposes only.
As a participating rider in the Covered Bridge Bike Tour, I understand that:
Riding a bicycle on public streets can be dangerous to my personal safety.
I will wear an ANSI or SNELL approved helmet during the tour.
I will ride according to vehicle codes.
The routes will be over public streets and road exposed to traffic. Some may have cracks, potholes, manhole covers, drainage gates, poorly-maintained railroad crossings, loose gravel, foreign objects and aggressive animals.
I understand that none of the sponsors or organizers can guarantee my safety while participating in such an event.
Parent/guardian signature required for applicants under 18 years. Riders under 16 years must be accompanied by an adult.
By signing/submitting this form, I agree to release from liability the Fallasburg Historical Society, the organizers, the sponsors and the workers for any injuries or harm sustained as a participant in this tour.
CityState / Province / RegionPostal / Zip Code
Individual Rider
Please list rider names & ages.
Riders in my party are:
Fallas CBBT-inside-2018(1)
Copyright (c) 2018. Emma Blogs, LLC. All rights reserved.
Great finds at Fallasburg village
On May 22, 2018 May 22, 2018 By emmapalovaIn Fallasburg Historic Village, Fallasburg Historical Society, historic preservation, history, Michigan historic sites, Pure Michigan, travel Michigan, Uncategorized1 Comment
Historical team finds forgotten treasures, a historian's dream
By Emma Palova
Fallasburg, MI – During the recent digital cataloging of Fallasburg artifacts, the historical team discovered forgotten treasures from Vergennes Township.
The treasure hunters: Lisa Plank, Ken Tamke and Calvin intern Grace Bolt.
These included a remarkable collection of Women's Committee for the National Council of Defense index cards filled out by women from Vergennes Township in support of World War I in 1917. The Vergennes Township Clerk/Registrar was responsible for undertaking this survey and completing the index cards from women in the community. The collection includes many recognizable names in the community.
Fallasburg Footprints
WWI support cards
Calvin College history intern Grace Bolt resumed the painstaking process of entering the data for Fallasburg artifacts at the Lowell Area Historical Museum (LAHM). She was working under the mentorship of Lisa Plank (LAHM) executive director and Ken Tamke, Fallasburg Historical Society (FHS) president for 14 weeks.
This was the third year of digital cataloging of Fallasburg artifacts in cooperation with the Calvin College History Department.
"I was familiar with the process of entering stuff like description, dimensions, pictures and saving it," Bolt said.
Bolt got hands on experience doing museum work as she helped to get the collection organized and to be a part of preserving history.
"This is a historian's dream out here," she said about Fallasburg village. "Everything is digitally captured."
"This will also make the collection accessible to the public," said Tamke. "Many forgotten treasures were rediscovered in our schoolhouse files."
The other great finds were Vergennes Women's Cooperative yearbooks, Flaunting a forgotten era, old leather-bound property tax ledgers, accounting ledgers, and log books of school board minutes, some dating back to the late 1800s.
The Vergennes Women's Cooperative archives of yearbooks go back to 1850.
FHS president Ken Tamke holds a box with Women's Cooperative yearbooks.
"It's a valuable cache of Vergennes Township history," said Tamke.
These items were stored in the basement of the Misner House. They sat there until 2007 or 2008, safe, but not in a climate controlled environment.
"We noticed signs of deterioration," he said. "We did retain some of the historical treasures in the schoolhouse."
Now, the historical treasures will remain in a climate controlled environment stored in proper boxes.
Plank said it was an opportunity for Fallasburg to get their collections organized.
"It benefited all sides," said Plank. "Fallasburg will have proper archival storage."
Both FHS and LAHM with digital cataloging have more resources available now.
The largest collection of the WWI support cards is at the Greater Grand Rapids Women's History Council.
For more info go to https://www.ggrwhc.org/projects/wwi/
Grand Rapids Public Library
https://grpl.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16055coll5
The Fallasburg Historical Museum, the one-room schoolhouse opens for the season on June 3rd from 2 to 4 p.m. Plan your visit today.
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FHS annual meeting
On May 21, 2018 By emmapalovaIn Fallasburg Historic Village, Fallasburg Historical Society, historic preservation, history, Michigan historic sites, Pure Michigan, travel Michigan, Uncategorized2 Comments
Mark your calendars for the Annual General Meeting of the Fallasburg Historical Society (FHS) on Monday, June 18th.
The meeting will be held at the Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce at 7 p.m.
The purpose of the Annual General Meeting is to identify and to present to the general membership, a slate of candidates for election to the FHS board.
"Additionally, it is a forum for our membership to lend its voice and to get involved," Ken Tamke, FHS president said. "Please join us to help preserve historic Fallasburg Village."
The one-room schoolhouse museum opens for the season on June 3rd from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. It will be open every Sunday through September. Plan your visit with us this summer and fall.
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Fashions through the Ages
On May 4, 2018 By emmapalovaIn UncategorizedLeave a comment
Put Fallasburg pioneer village on your spring museum tour this weekend.
Fashions @Fallasburg inside the John W. Fallas House
Immerse yourself into an era when ladies wore hats and gloves for a night out on the town.
The theme of fashion again dominates this year's "Spring into the Past" museum tour.
Hop on the tour this weekend of 30 participating museums of the Tri-River Museum Network.
You will discover treasures in artifacts and they may inspire you.
Craft your own tour using the map from http://www.commoncorners.com
You can pick up a print booklet at any of the locations.
The museums will be open on Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm, on Sunday from noon to 5 pm.
Spring into the Past museum tour
On May 1, 2018 May 1, 2018 By emmapalovaIn Covered Bridges, events, Fallasburg Historic Village, Fallasburg Historical Society, historic preservation, history, Michigan historic sites, Pure Michigan, travel Michigan, Uncategorized3 Comments
Visit Fallasburg pioneer village during your museum tour
Fallasburg, MI – As you plot your museum tour this weekend, stop by in the Fallasburg pioneer village just three miles north of Lowell.
Just cross the Covered Bridge into the 1837 village founded by John W. Fallas. You will have stepped back in time.
You will marvel at the historic treasures like the one-room schoolhouse, the Misner House, the John W. Fallas House and the Tower Farm & barn, all preserved under the auspices of the Fallasburg Historical Society (FHS).
"Spring Into the Past" is a tour of the museums of the Tri-River Historical Museum Network in Barry, Eaton, Ionia, Kent and Montcalm counties.
The Tower Barn
"We're continuing last year's theme of "Fashions through the Ages" with many new displays as our member museums or historical societies roll out their red carpet to show off the unique history of their communities during this annual event," said Tri-River Museums Network spokesperson Judy Gager.
Get a descriptive booklet at any of the museums or plan your tour beforehand by downloading a copy of a map at http://www.commoncorners.com
Visit TriRiver on Facebook, too.
Beach wear, bustles and bridal gowns – a variety of timeless "Fashions Through the Ages" will be visible in the museums of the Tri-River Historical Museum Network during the annual museum tour.
The quaint museums are as versatile as the fashions, located in former vintage homes, meeting halls, stores and depots in small communities throughout the Tri-River Network.
Participating museums in the Spring into the Past Tri-River Museums Network.
"They all are eager to share the history of their community both past and present," said Gager.
Museum hours are usually also varied, but during this annual event all museums are open the same days and hours so visitors can tour several the same day: Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm and Sunday from noon to 5 pm.
"Fallasburg always Partakes in this annual tour," said FHS spokesperson Emma Palova.
Get an informational booklet at any museum. Museums are free, but donations are certainly appreciated!
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