Salem
Michigan
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Salem Area Historical Society
About Us
The Salem Area Historical Society was founded in 1975 in preparation for the Nations Bi-Centenial. The first meeting was August 13 where a few Salemites fearing the stories and history of the area would soon be lost set to work collecting the stories of pioneer and present families, sites, and images .Their efforts produced a one hundred sixteen page History of Salem Township. Published in 1976 for the Bi-Centenial celebration it went along with an extensive display in a History house decorated with furniture, pictures, records and items of days long ago.
In 1978 deed was given to the SAHS to the Salem (Jarvis) South Stone School. Many in the group had attended this school in their earlier years. In poor repair from neglect and only owning the small bit of land it set on the group made plans to aquire more land and restore the building to its as remembered state. Now restored and with deed to a large lot we use it for our meeting and also occasionally as a real school. In 2005 one of the former students, Billy Kruse, donated the funds to build a representaion of the wood shed that was at the site during his school days.
In 1998 the SAHS was approached by a buisness owner wanting to know if we would like to have an old barn that was on his property. Discovering it was built by one of Salems earlyist residents and perhaps one of the oldest barns in Wastenaw County plans to move it started. Evaluation showed the structure sound but cost to move beyond our limited means.By the fall off 1999 the owner wanted it gone and if we could not take it would be knocked down. Faced with that ultimatum a decision to take it down peice by peice and save it that way. A work force of all volunteer help (500 hours worth) in three weekends totally dismantaled the entire barn and removed it to storage. After a suvey and proper foundation put in on our schoolhouse lot we have hired a contracter to reassemble the barn this spring 2006. After the barn is completed we can display representations of the early farm history in the area.
The Salem Area Historical Society was founded in 1975 in preparation for the Nations Bi-Centenial. The first meeting was August 13 where a few Salemites fearing the stories and history of the area would soon be lost set to work collecting the stories of pioneer and present families, sites, and images .Their efforts produced a one hundred sixteen page History of Salem Township. Published in 1976 for the Bi-Centenial celebration it went along with an extensive display in a History house decorated with furniture, pictures, records and items of days long ago.
In 1978 deed was given to the SAHS to the Salem (Jarvis) South Stone School. Many in the group had attended this school in their earlier years. In poor repair from neglect and only owning the small bit of land it set on the group made plans to aquire more land and restore the building to its as remembered state. Now restored and with deed to a large lot we use it for our meeting and also occasionally as a real school. In 2005 one of the former students, Billy Kruse, donated the funds to build a representaion of the wood shed that was at the site during his school days.
In 1998 the SAHS was approached by a buisness owner wanting to know if we would like to have an old barn that was on his property. Discovering it was built by one of Salems earlyist residents and perhaps one of the oldest barns in Wastenaw County plans to move it started. Evaluation showed the structure sound but cost to move beyond our limited means.By the fall off 1999 the owner wanted it gone and if we could not take it would be knocked down. Faced with that ultimatum a decision to take it down peice by peice and save it that way. A work force of all volunteer help (500 hours worth) in three weekends totally dismantaled the entire barn and removed it to storage. After a suvey and proper foundation put in on our schoolhouse lot we have hired a contracter to reassemble the barn this spring 2006. After the barn is completed we can display representations of the early farm history in the area.