(Chelsea Update would like to thank Shawn Personke for the information in this story.)
The Chelsea Area Historical Society is re-opening on Saturday, June 26.
And it’s none too soon for local history buffs.
Closed since March 2020 because of the pandemic, Chelsea Area Historical Society board president Bill O’Reilly said board members and volunteers are excited to meet and greet the public again.
“Over the past year, we’ve added to our collection and did some sprucing up,” said O’Reilly. “In fact, our June 5 clean-up day was amazing and we are ready for the public.”
O’Reilly said the museum is excited to show off two new spaces.
“With our new “Founders Room” and “Firehouse” there are plenty of new features to be seen,” he said, adding that the grand opening events for each of these additions will take place later this summer.
As part of the festivities, the Peace Jubilee Brass Band will perform two concerts that day — at noon and 1 p.m. A donation of $5 per adult is welcome and appreciated.
Founded by Chelsea resident Alex Pollock, the Peace Jubilee Brass Band plays historic brass instruments and the favorite tunes – from polkas to quick steps to waltzes — from the late 19th and early 20th century. The band performs in authentic dress and costumes of the post-Civil War era.
The museum, which moved to its permanent location on Jackson Street in 2014, houses an amazing collection of photographs, memorabilia, clothing, maps, furniture, and vehicles that demonstrate Chelsea’s growth from a Potawatomi settlement in the early 1800s to a farming and manufacturing hub at the turn of the 20th century to today’s business, agricultural, and destination hotspot for southern Michigan. Highlights include a 1911 Flanders motorcycle, an 1830 journal describing immigrating from England, and a very cool fire wagon dating from the late 1800s.
As life returns to normal, the museum expects to bring back many of its classic events, such as the Holiday Home Tour, High Teas, the Linda Collins Spaghetti Dinner, and Walking Tours of the Oak Grove Cemetery, Downtown Chelsea and Historic Homes.
Beginning June 26, the museum will be open Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m. and on Thursdays, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., during Sounds & Sights on Thursday Nights. The museum is also available for private or group tours.
For more information about the Chelsea Area Historical Society, visit www.ChelseaHistory.org, email O’Reilly at [email protected], or stop by for a visit during the museum’s regular hours.
