Houghton County Historical Society Events Schedule 2009
Event held on Campus (not bold)
*Event held at Heritage Center (in bold)
- June Museum opens
- June 17 - Invitational Tour and Luncheon
- July 3-5 - Steam Train, Fireworks and July 4th Weekend Train
- July 3-4 - Booth in Lake Linden Park
- July 18 - 1 pm Douglas Houghton Biography Presentation and Book signing by Author, Steve Lehto
- July 18 - 3 pm Courtney Clisch Concert
- Aug. 1-2 - Railroad History Days
- Aug. 2 - Home Tour
- Sept. 12-13 - Fourth Annual Harvest Market
- Sept. 12-13 - Trains, Tractors and More, Open House, Antique Tool Show
- Oct. 24 - Ghost Train
- Dec. 6 - Santa Train
* Heritage Center - corner of First St. and N Av, Lake Linden
Houghton County Historical Society
53102 Hwy M-26
Lake Linden, MI 49945
Trains run every week-end - June-July-Aug-Sept 12 noon-4 pm
Available for special tours contact: president@houghtonhistory.org or 906-296-4121
For more information, or to buy tickets or make reservations to any of these events, please call the Houghton County Historical Society office at 906-296-4121.
The History of the First Congregational Church of Lake Linden
Now the Houghton County Heritage Center....
June through September-Available for special occasions and tours.
Rental information, contact Vada at 906-296-8232 or HCHS at 906-296-4121 or president@houghtonhistory.org
The Houghton County Historical Society Heritage Center is housed in the former First Congregational Church of Lake Linden. The church structure was built on land donated by the Calumet & Hecla Mining Company. The structure follows the Victorian "Stick" style, set upon a non-coursed mine rock foundation and was built by Emery & Curdy, Contractors in 1886 at a cost of $8,325.00, with materials provided by the mining company. The use of decorative hardwood highlights this unique building, as well as the intricate patterns of siding and detail on the exterior, making this structure an architectural treasure.
The First Congregational Church continued as an active organization for almost 100 years, ending its service to the community in 1979. At that time, the structure was turned over to the Houghton County Historical Society, and it was planned to use the structure as a Heritage Center for Houghton County. Over recent years, efforts have been made to restore the structure, and the community rooms through donations and grants. A $50,000.00 grant from the Americana Foundation has allowed the HCHS to both restore our wonderful Garret House organ, and undertake the restoration of the steeple. New plumbing, roofing, electrical, and heating have been supplied through grants from the Leuthold Foundation, the National Park Service, and generous donations from Mr.& Mrs. John Siller, and others.
Limited building restoration was begun in 1993. The structure is currently restored for use June through September but is still an on-going process. The paint and repair on two sides of the Heritage Center were completed in 2006 with the help of a grant from The Americana Foundation. The paint was analyzed to be the original colors, then the North and West sides of the building were scraped, repaired and meticulously hand painted by LCS, Inc. Our most immediate need is roof repair to prevent water damage, seal or cover the wood floor on the main level, complete the paint on the East and South sides and stabilize the building.
1874 Garret House Tracker Pipe Organ
The two-manual Garret House organ at the former First Congregational Church of Lake Linden was constructed in 1874 for the First Congregational Church of Calumet. It was built by House in the last third of his career as a domestic tracker organ builder. House built these instruments in Buffalo, New York. The organs have no electric or electro-pneumatic parts, in the classic style that would be familiar to 17th and 18th century masters such as J. S. Bach. These tracker organs control the flow of wind traveling to the pipes by the use of wooden rods and levers to open and close both stops and pipe valves. The wind in the organ that sounds the pipes was originally provided by a person hand pumping the organ to keep the air in the wind chests below the pipes at a constant pressure. While the newly restored organ can still be pumped, the wind is now provided by a whisper quiet blower.
Organ Restoration:
The restoration of this unique and significant organ was undertaken in 2001 by the HCHS as part of the overall effort to restore the church, and was funded by individual donations and a $25,000.00 grant from the Americana Foundation. The restoration was initiated by Ms. Dana Hull of Ann Arbor, and completed by Mr. Helmut Schick of Ann Arbor, and Rev. John Cawkins of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their efforts were augmented by many HCHS volunteers, especially Andrew McInnes, of Stanton Township.
Your tax deductible gift to the Heritage Center of $1,000 or more will be appreciated with a framed keepsake art piece of the 120 year old original floor cover. Please make your check payable to Houghton County Historical Society and designate to the Heritage Center. Mail to Houghton County Historical Society, Box 127 M-26, Lake Linden, MI 49945
Marilyn Mason Organ CD $12.99 Picture of CD –list of music
Information about her and her performance in 2003 CD MM Blurb
2007 Events
Quilt Show
Organ Recital by David Short
July 4th Heritage Center Open House
Harvest Market
Volunteers are needed and welcomed.
For more information, contact HCHS 906-296-4121
About the 1874 Garret House Tracker Organ...
The two-manual Garret House organ at the former First Congregational Church of Lake Linden was constructed in 1874 for the First Congregational Church of Calumet. It was built by House in the last third of his career as a domestic tracker organ builder. House built these instruments in Buffalo, New York. The organs have no electric or electro-pneumatic parts, in the classic style that would be familiar to 17th and 18th century masters such as J. S. Bach. These tracker organs control the flow of wind traveling to the pipes by the use of wooden rods and levers to open and close both stops and pipe valves. The wind in the organ that sounds the pipes was originally provided by a person hand pumping the organ to keep the air in the wind chests below the pipes at a constant pressure.
While the newly restored organ can still be pumped, the wind is now provided by a whisper quiet blower, which replaces a 1912 model made by the Edison Electric Co. Garret House built many organs in his day. He began in the 1840's and died in the 1890's, and built two of which we are aware in the Copper Country. The other (1854?) is still in existence, but not playable, at the St. Paul's Church in Rockland. This organ is a one manual (keyboard) instrument which served the Catholic congregation at the Minnesota Mine.
The Organ Restoration:
The restoration of this unique and significant organ was undertaken in 2001 by the HCHS as part of the overall effort to restore the church, and was funded by individual donations and a $25,000.00 grant from the Americana Foundation. The restoration was initiated by Ms. Dana Hull of Ann Arbor, and completed by Mr. Helmut Schick of Ann Arbor, and Rev. John Cawkins of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their efforts were augmented by many HCHS volunteers, especially Andrew McInnes, of Stanton Township.
Trap Rock School, the Lake Linden-Hubbell Depot, the Mill Office, Mill Clinic, and Paymasters Office, the First Congregational Church (Houghton County Heritage Center) and the WPA Log Cabin.
If you can help with this project in any way, click here for ways to help or please contact us! Meanwhile, HCHS has continued to build its campus with improvements such as refurbished museum exhibits, additions such as Big Louie's Granary, and new roofs over outdoor displays. All in all, it's been a VERY good year, thanks to all our volunteers, members, trustees and benefactors. Thanks, keep up your great work!
