Peter Dougherty Society | Old Mission Michigan

Site Cleanup Planned

The Site Development Committee is leading the cleanup of the grounds around the Dougherty buildings on July 12 at 9:30am. Bring a rake, shovel, garbage bag &/or lawn mower and help make short order of this necessary task. Reconstruction of the icehouse and stabilization of the other buildings require a tidy working area. Besides you can check out the exciting progress being made on the Icehouse! Questions may be directed to Tom Maguire, 947-4666.

Historic Structures Report

The results of the Historic Structures Analysis will be presented on Sunday, July 20 at 4:00pm at the Old Town Hall. As you may recall, EMU Master’s degree students taking Prof. Ted Ligibel Historic Preservation Class spent a full day at the Dougherty site with architect Ilene Tyler from Quinn Evans Architects documenting changes that have been made to the interior and exterior of the main buildings at the Dougherty site. That day and their subsequent research will provide a chronology of changes to the Dougherty structures and the timeframe that those changes occurred which will guide decisions on the specific direction of our restoration efforts. Ted Ligibel will make the presentation for this free event. Questions may be directed to Bill Cole, 223-8778.

Icehouse

Thanks to the efforts of a small but mighty group of volunteers, the foundation of the icehouse was cleared of debris both inside and around the outer perimeter and a large number of stones were prepared for its reconstruction. Led by Master Stonemason Tim Wicksall, this group restored and laid a new foundation for the icehouse in three days. Carpenter Jeff Reinhart is now ready to start reconstructing the icehouse walls and roof salvaged from the Keenan property at the end of Old Mission. Volunteers of all ages and skill levels are needed beginning Tuesday, June 24 at 10:00am and every day thereafter until the icehouse is reconstructed. Bring your hammer, work gloves and closed toe shoes and be a part of the first reconstruction effort at the Dougherty Site. Questions may be directed to Marty Klein, 223-4040.

Annual Fundraiser

Mark your calendars for August 9 from 5:30-9:00pm for the Annual Dougherty Fundraiser. This year’s country western themed event will be held in the beautifully restored red barn on the west side of Center Rd. just north of Island View thanks to the kind offer of owners Roger & Martha Myers. This year’s event will be catered by Sladek’s and offer a main entrée choice of barbecued ribs or chicken with 2 sides, a salad bar and dessert. Entertainment will include line dancing led by teachers Ron & Marty Ford. A live auction of some exciting items will take place on the stage of the barn. Prior to the main meal, party goers can enjoy a glass of beer or wine with hors d’oeuvres while browsing through the silent auction items and viewing two restored horse-drawn carriages. So pull on your cowboy hat and boots and join the fun. Tickets will be $40 per person and will be available at Peninsula Market beginning July 1. Attendance will be limited to the first 150 so get your tickets early to what has been a sold out event in years past. Questions may be directed to Gretchen Soutear, 223-8752.

April 11, 2008. . . .

Come join us to hear Ilene Tyler, FAIA, of Quinn Evans Architects, and a national expert on Historic structures. She will discuss the importance and role of a Historic Structure Report in restoring the Dougherty-Rushmore House in Old Mission. The program is presented as part of the “Documenting Historic Places” course offered by Eastern Michigan University Historic Preservation Program. It will be presented at 7:00 P.M., Friday, April 11^th , 2008 at the Peninsula Township Hall, 13235 Center Road (Route # 37) on Old Mission Peninsula. Refreshments will be served. For additional details please call (231)223-8778. The public is welcome to attend.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The Peter Dougherty Society needs volunteers, beginning in late May, to assist a stone mason, Tim Wicksall, in preparing and rebuilding the foundation of the original ice house at the Dougherty-Rushmore House. Once the foundation is restored, volunteers will also be necessary to re-erect an 1890’s ice house from Old Mission which was saved. Volunteers will also be needed to make snacks for the work crew. If you are interested, please call Marty Klein, (231)223-4044.

The Peter Dougherty Society was able to secure a period icehouse as the result of the generous donations from Steve and Glenda Keenan and their builder, Greg Shugart.It is believed that this structure is the same vintage as the one that existed when William Rushmore operated the Dougherty House as an Inn. The outside walls are nearly identical in size to the foundation that was found on site. Other icehouses still standing today in Old Mission are similar in size with similar windows and doors and small metal ice chests;they only vary in height. Perhaps one builder erected all of the icehouses or the residents just copied one another.

On September 6th, 2007 at 7:00 PM the Old Mission Peninsula Historical Society will hear a presentation by Dr. Mark W. Holley. He will review the findings for the Grand Traverse Bay Underwater Preserve's 2007 Summer Field Season. Special emphasis will be placed on the submerged features of the Old Mission area.

Dr. Holley receive a B.A. degree in anthropology from the University of Michigan in 1991 and a PhD in underwater archeology from the University of Edinburgh in 1998. He is a skilled operational and scientific diver. Dr. Holley has participated in underwater archaeology and cultural resource management projects in Michigan since 1995.

The meeting will take place at the Peninsula Town Hall, 13235 Center Road (RT. 37) on Old Mission Peninsula. For more information, please contact Dave Charlton at 231-223-4162.

OLD MISSION, MI (July 12, 2007) – To fund preservation of the Dougherty Historic Home Site, the Peter Dougherty Society will host an Irish dinner, its second annual fundraiser, on Saturday, August 11 from 5:00 to 9:00 PM. For the first time this year, the Dougherty House will be open for guided tours.

This year’s event will showcase Irish fare and music by TC Celtic, Northern Michigan’s finest Celtic song and dance group. A Scottish piper and harpist also will be on-hand to entertain. Following dinner, a live and silent auction will take place featuring 31 choice bidding packages including a sailboat cruise for four, a weekend for four in a deluxe cottage on Drummond Island, an antique ship lantern salvaged from the Indian Ocean, and a chair designation in the winner’s name at the City Opera House.

“Few places in the Traverse City area are as evocative and historically significant as the Dougherty House. Built in 1842, it is the first frame house north of Grand Rapids and south of Mackinaw,” said Jerry Ostlund, event founder. “Plus, the house served as the home of the Reverend Peter Dougherty and his wife Maria; both were dedicated to the preservation and education of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

The Society’s mission is to preserve the historic site. Upon completion, the house will serve as an interpretive center and museum featuring historical documents and artifacts dating back to the early 1800s. Funds raised from the benefit will aid in this effort.

The event takes place at 18529 Mission Road, Old Mission. Tickets are $30.00 per person and are available at the Peninsula Market, 14111 Center Road in Mapleton, 231-223-9500. For taxable donation, checks should be made payable to The Peter Dougherty Society a 501(C) (3) entity. For additional information, please call 231-223-7500 or 231-947-7493.



Button Box Musician
Chair Caning
Weavers
Spinners
Soap Maker
Rug Hooking 
Tinsmith
Wood Workers
Foghorn Demonstration 
Civil War Poet
Civil War Soldier and Medicine
Historic Children’s Games
Children’s Story circle
Face Painting
Children’s crafts
Harmonica Master Class 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM

The Peter Dougherty Society will have a sale of household wares, tools, collectibles, memorabilia, furniture, beds, shutters, books, records, and more.

Two locations: Peninsula Township Offices (Lower Level) and the Township Hall next door to the offices, 13235 Center Road (Rt. 37).

All proceeds from the sale will go toward the restoration of The Peter Dougherty House.

Wow! Thanks to those of you in radio, print and TV who helped us promote the Dougherty House Estate Sale this past Saturday. It was a smashing success. At 6:30am [doors opened at 9:00am] there were 49 people waiting to get inside to view those treasures. We know there are many activities that you follow and we are most grateful you have continued to cover and promote our events. Dave Charlton-PR chair The Peter Dougherty Society.

The Peter Dougherty society will have a sale of collectibles and memorabilia from the Peter Dougherty House.

Mark your calendars for January 27, 2007. The sale will be held at the Peninsula Township Hall, lower lever, 13235 Center Road (Rt. 37) from 9:00 AM to 3:00PM. For more details, see the entire press release here.

To all Peter Dougherty Society volunteers. You won’t want to miss a presentation by………..

Patricia Hoezee Meyer, Historic Preservation Consultant on the steps and approaches to restoration.

· Patricia Meyer is the project manager of the Felt Estate Restoration Project in Laketown Township. Visit at www.laketowntwp.org

· In 2005, Pat received the Citizen Award from the Michigan Historic Preservation Network for her “contributions to restoration in Michigan”.

· Recently, she won the Leadership in Preservation Award from the Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society.

· As Laketown Township’s volunteer coordinator, she oversees volunteer projects in all of the parks, and serves on the Huyser Farm Subcommittee—a group dedicated to the restoration of a historic 102-acre farm in Laketown.

· Pat owns a historic six-room schoolhouse in Hudsonville and qualified for Historic Tax Credits after doing a restoration for adaptive use, saving the structure and turning it into a child care facility.

· She is currently working on her Masters Degree in Historic Preservation through Eastern Michigan University.

· Pat is passionate about preservation! She will discuss the importance of preservation and restoration, the methods and philosophies behind the various types of preservation, and how choosing a common direction is the key to a successful volunteer project.

Please RSVP to joanbonney@pentel.net if you plan to attend. We want to be sure to set up a chair for you!

Recent Events at the Dougherty Historic Home Site:

During August and September 2006 more than 3,000 items in the house were photographed and catalogued, then more than 2,000 items were packed away by professionals and put in a secured storage facility.

An open house on August 19, 2006 saw 56 people from Neah-ta-wanta, Illini Orchards, Shorewood and Leffingwell resorts tour the Dougherty Home Site.

The first fundraiser took place on September 9, 2006. More than 130 people attended with 100% of the proceeds given to the Peter Dougherty Society restoration campaign. The guests enjoyed a four-course dinner, live entertainment, plus a live and silent auction. Guests also had a guided tour of the home.

On October 18 and 22, 2006 the Home was open to several organizations for tours and a slide show of the packing process.

Application is being made to the National Historic Sites Register. The required forms have been submitted to qualify the Peter Dougherty Society as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

Press Releases, newsletters, other publications dealing with The Dougherty House and The Peter Dougherty Society will be found here.