Open house draws guest to lighthouse, museum
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ESCANABA -- Local residents and people visiting for the holidays milled around the Sand Point Lighthouse and the Dr. John and Mary Jane Beaumier Museum and Archives building yesterday for an open house organized by the Delta County Historical Society (DCHS). The event, which continues today from 1 to 4 p.m., has been held annually since the DCHS restored the lighthouse after taking it over from the Coast Guard a little over 30 years ago.
In the summertime, a steady flow of (mostly) tourists trickles through the set of buildings on the north side of Water Plant Road, the only road on Sand Point, the peninsula jutting eastward into Little Bay de Noc from Escanaba. In the off-season -- September through May -- the museum and lighthouse remain closed, and the archives are only open to the public a few hours a week (1 to 4 p.m. on Mondays), with the day after Christmas and the 27th serving as a special exception.
People who belong to the DCHS and volunteer their time to maintain the lighthouse, museum and archives say that the two-day open house is a way of thanking the community for their support and showing what their contributions have done.
"Some are repeats, but a lot of people have never been in here," said Ellie O'Donnell, a volunteer, who was in the lighthouse serving hot cider and cookies to guests. "So today, it's our gift to the community to come here and the museum free. We do it every year the two days after Christmas." O'Donnell described the open house as a relaxed affair, something for families to enjoy while they're together for the holidays.
A family of five from Hyde was enjoying learning about local history yesterday afternoon.
"We saw some of the clothes that they would wear -- like wedding dresses -- and some of the -- the timber and stuff," said Aven Randall, age 11. "And the typewriting, and the voting, and how they talk on the phone," she said, referring to several different items on display in the museum. Aven explained that she had learned about the timber industry previously at the historical museum in Marquette.
Perry Randall, age eight, said that her favorite part was the story associated with a century-old dress that had been worn by a 10-year-girl who had been picking raspberries when she got lost in the woods for several days.
"She said she was never afraid," said Perry, "and that dress was kind of cute."
The littlest Randall, Hazel, age five, said she liked seeing "swords" -- part of a display on munition and weaponry through the ages.
Several newcomers were surprised by the expanse of the museum.
"In the summer, we'll get people that come through from cities much larger than ours," said Carol Varvil, a volunteer at the museum. "Before they leave, they always stop and say, 'you know, we have a museum in our town, but it just doesn't hold a candle to this.' And you just feel, like, civic pride, because they work so hard at this."
The open house continues Wednesday, Dec. 26, again free to the public, again with hot cider and a variety of cookies donated by the community, and with the addition of local talent John Ignatowski playing the pump organ in the lighthouse.