The Way We Learned: The First 100 Years Of Clarkston Schools
November 1999- May 2000

This exhibit premiered with the grand opening of the Clarkston Heritage Museum.  Original materials dating back as early as 1835 included an exquisite sampler embroidered by 12-year-old Emma Adams Parker.  Also included in this display were school arithmetic and spelling books, along with many class photos taken in the early 1900s.  The high top, lace up boots worn by school marm Ethel Cleveland and a long black wool dress and petticoat were a popular attraction.  Clarkston district record books detailed the policy of requiring the family of each child to supply a 1/2 cord of wood to help heat the school wood stove; an interesting form of tuition!  This exhibit was especially popular as a field trip destination and we provided hundreds of elementary school children with a combined Museum tour and program.

Clarkston At Work: From Farms To Factories
May 2000- November 2000

Since its early establishment, Clarkston has always been a farming community.  This exhibit was designed to tell the story of those first farmers and their necessary relationship to the business in town.  On display were early photos of local establishments such as Skarritt Livery, the Carran sister's Millinery Shop, W. C. Petty Art Studio, Jake Gulick's Barber Shop and Walter & Sons Dry Goods store.  The role of the local farmer was identified in such items as an early account book kept by dairy farmer Russell Maybee and farm tools used on the Ellis family farm. Items belonging to Dr. Sutherland, the town doctor and Elizabeth Ronk, local postmistress, represented other occupations to name just a few.  This was a wonderful exhibit that detailed the evolution of businesses not only on Main Street, but also within the entire Clarkston community.

From The Beginning: The Native American Story
November 2000- May 2001

This exhibit took a step back in time to Clarkston's very first inhabitants.  With artifacts dating as early as 8,000 years ago, the stone tools and handmade birch bark baskets tell us the story of a very different lifestyle.  Featured in this exhibit are four dioramas, each one depicts a miniature Native American village in a different season.  These wonderful scenes are incredibly complete and are fascinating to see.  Other items on display included beautiful porcupine quill boxes, beaded moccasins, clay and stone pipes with wooden "puzzle" stems and carved wooden utensils.  This collection also includes a variety of stone points, from tiny bird arrow points to large axe heads weighing several pounds.  This entire exhibit was of particular interest to children and was extremely popular.  

A Jump In Time: Clarkston Photos Past and Present
May 2001 - November 2001

This interesting exhibit took a look at Clarkston's history from a different perspective then past exhibits.  Over 40 historic photographs dating from as early as the late 1880's were displayed along side a current photo of the same scene.  This allowed residents to gain an understanding of the changes that have occurred in our town over its 160-year history.  A shot of Main Street as a dirt road with a horse and buggy sitting at the curb was paired with the same scene that now includes a paved road, sidewalks and mini-vans.  As well as demonstrating how much the town has changed, this exhibit also reminded us of what remains.  Brick buildings on Main Street, historic homes and views of the Mill Pond all come together to give Clarkston its strong sense of history.

Pastimes & Parades: Clarkston at Play
November 2001 - November 2002

This exhibit took an in-depth look at what Clarkston's early residents did at a time when entertainment meant more than just pushing a button on the remote control!  Instead, there was always the latest program at the Opera House (a nickel got you in).  Or how about watching the local men race their horse and buggies across the frozen ice of Parke Lake?  In the summertime, the Clarkston Band would be all decked out in their uniforms and ready to serenade both locals and tourists as they strolled over the wooden sidewalks in town.  Some of the biggest events were the town parades, the 4th of July was always a special celebration and everyone pitched in to build floats and sew costumes.  This exhibit included so many interesting items, from wooden skates to a uniform from the Clarkston Band.  It also was the first to use our new touch screen computer kiosk where visitors can view antique postcards, photos or even a short 8 mm film footage taken from early parades down Main Street.

This exhibit was based on a “slice of life” theme where each display case represents a different view of Clarkston life as well as an individual who represents that same aspect. The large window in the front of the Museum was A Farmhouse Window with items from the everyday life of a local farmwife and farmer. Photos of the Stott family farm and the Morgan barn raising serve as the backdrop of this vignette. Once inside the museum, the cases represented were as follows: Through The Doctor’s Window addressed the daily life of the town doctor and featured the story of Dr. Charles Gray Robertson.  A Window Into Communication talked about the importance of our rural mail carriers and featured carriers William Rockwell and Elmer Vliet. A Political Window showcased the small town election and highlighted the many civic activities of George King, postmaster, election official, school board director, newspaper columnist and farmer. A Storefront Window highlighted the Addis family and their business; Addis’s Soda Fountain which stood for many years at the corner of Main & Washington Streets. Also included in this exhibit were A Window Into Childhood and A Window Into Clarkston Society.

Clarkston Collections: Gathering Our Past
September 2003 – May 2004

This exhibit gave the Clarkston Historical Society the opportunity to feature the many different artifacts within our general collection. This exhibit takes the viewer through the process of what it is we collect, how we acquire these items and why they are important to us. With artifacts from local and out-of-state donors to purchases made by the society through the internet, there was a little bit of everything in this display and it covered a wide range of times and purposes. Some of the items found in this exhibit were: A pair of riding jodhpurs from the 1920s, the 1879 marriage certificate of Edwin Clark to Helen Vliet, a 1905 Sashabaw School souvenir booklet, dance tickets to the Clarkston Opera House and a 1898 Course of Study Booklet for the Clarkston Union School. With over 100 items on display, this exhibit offered something of interest to everyone.

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Clarkston In Conflict: From Hometown To Homefront
May 2004 – November 2004

This was the eighth exhibit since we first opened the Museum, and a particularly timely one. The theme of this exhibit focused on local connections to the Civil War, World War I and World War II. With all that is happening in the world today, this exhibit gave the viewer an opportunity to explore how these previous conflicts affected this small town and those who lived here. From Civil War bullets to a German military belt buckle, there was a wide range of artifacts offered for viewing. Also displayed were military uniforms as well as war bond advertisements and a program from the Independence Township 1942 Birthday Ball where the big door prize for the evening was $8.00 in Defense Stamps! And in this time of plenty, it was difficult to imagine using the ration books for food and gas that were on display here. Other items included a WW II scrapbook kept by a young woman in Clarkston as well as items from a WW I Spruce Camp. We believe that this exhibit was a fitting way to offer our respect to all those men and women from Clarkston who fought for our freedoms.

Capturing Clarkston: A Celebration Of Everyday Life
November 2004 – May 2005

This exciting exhibit is full of a variety of Clarkston artifacts and focuses on the daily life of village residents. Each display case is built on different themes such as elementary school, high school, early childhood, business, women's fashion and religion. As an example, our early childhood case includes a wonderful wind-up toy giraffe, child’s parasol, hand stitched nightgown and great images of children in the early 1900s. For the elementary school case, there is a wrought iron and wood child's school desk (complete with inkwell) and early school documents and photos. Because small children have a way of growing up we also cover the high school years with old yearbooks, a megaphone and a marching band baton, as well as photos of the local soda shop and pool hall! For the feminine side we have a Clark family quilt, beautiful black chenille cape, silk embroidered coat and silver hair comb and coin purse. On the fun side, there is a nice collection of items from when Clarkston was a popular tourist destination. Artifacts such as a souvenir glass vase, postcards and a matchbook advertising a local lakeside inn are a part of this display. From silk coats and china dolls and local hardware artifacts, this is an excellent exhibit with something for everyone to enjoy.

Death On The Millpond: Clarkston Tragedies, Accidents & Losses
May 2005 – November 2005

This display was unlike anything we had ever done in the past and it proved to be one of our most popular exhibits. The subjects explored ranged from local fires, floods and cyclones to tragic deaths and misfortune. Also included was a wonderful display on Victorian mourning customs of the nineteenth-century, as well as a large collection of memorial hair jewelry. Local cemeteries were featured and the symbolism of tombstone art was explored. Death was a very familiar part of life in early Clarkston. Our founding pioneers were faced with hardships every day and survival was never guaranteed. But they persevered and built a thriving community that their children could be proud of through many generations.

Clarkston In Costume : A Century Of Fashion
January 2006 – June 2006

This exhibit was full of texture, color, feathers, ribbons, buttons and bows! Included were several dresses representing dates from 1890, 1900, 1920, 1940 & 1950. Also on view was a wonderful 1903 wedding dress of hand appliquéd lace, as well as a spectacular velvet evening dress from 1915. This dress features elaborate bead and needle work with seed pearls and gold threads. Other highlights included beaded purses, antique jewelry, early nylons, fancy gloves, beautiful fans, and of course - hats. One of the favorite hats is dated 1880 and has a stuffed barn swallow on the brim! Another popular item was an elaborate pair of red velvet shoes embroidered with gold thread. These shoes are different than those we wear today because they were made before the introduction of the left and right shoe. These early shoes are known as “straights” and look quite uncomfortable! Other interesting items contrast a petticoat and chemise from the early 1900s to a psychedelic “flower power” girdle from the 1960s. This was a timely exhibit with the recent interest in vintage clothing and delighted everyone who visited.

Our current exhibit tells the story of Clarkston’s youngest residents. This is a fun and lively exhibit fitted with cases full of artifacts, photos and toys. Every aspect of a young child’s life is investigated. Several items from Clarkston’s earliest schools are on display. From an 1898 study booklet to a colorful pair of tobacco tin lunchboxes. We also have several cases devoted to playtime. Stop by and take a look at the 1940 peddle car or the 1870 rocking horse, there is also a early sled, 1890 tea set, toy chicken that lays clay marbles and a Howdy Doody marionette. Other areas explored are farm/house chores such as rug beating, collecting eggs, chipping ice and caring for livestock. Of course, there were so many places to go when the chores were finally done. The shores of the Mill Pond provided swimming, fishing and boating. Once you were dried off, the woods and fields were a great place to roam and look for arrowheads left by Clarkston’s first inhabitants. Visit the museum and experience the lives of the young children who played on the streets of this town so many generations ago. If you listen carefully, you can just make out the echo of their young voices as they whisper…… “You’re it!”

A Village Vacation: P.S. Wish you were here!
June 2007 – November 2007

This was the fifteenth exhibit offered by the Clarkston Heritage Museum and quite different from our previous displays. First, we explored that time when Clarkston was a tourist town starting around the late 1800s. On display were unique Clarkston souvenirs, early cameras, traveling necessities and vintage luggage. These items all explore the idea of heading to Clarkston for a vacation in the country.

In addition, there were over 80 real photo postcards included in this exhibit. These postcards offer the second view of Clarkston history by providing actual photos taken in the Village and surrounding countryside. From local merchants on Main Street to the shores of Deer Lake, the visitor can view just what Clarkston looked like in the early 1900s.

A Village Vacation was a wonderful exhibit full of local images from over a century ago. A time when traveling was done by train or buggy and air conditioning was provided by a cool breeze across the lake.

Pieces Of Our Past: The Collector’s Story
November 2007 – May 2008

In this exhibit the collections of eight different individuals are on display and the variety is wonderful.

Interested in Victorian fashion? There are 7 incredible dresses here to see. From bustles to ball gowns, you will be amazed at the dresses of longtime collector and historian, Barbara Kincaid. Or do the mysteries of the Knights Templar intrigue you? Then you will enjoy the collection of fraternal swords with all the many symbols and secret codes that snake across the scabbards. What about the idea of treasure hunting? There is an amazing collection of items found underwater and underground with a metal detector. Piles of old coins, jewelry, tokens, medals and an endless variety of “found” treasures are here for you to see.

Other collections on display include late 19th century squeak toys, beautiful brass scales of all shapes and sizes, antique bottles and a wonderful collection of hand whittled farm implements made almost a century ago.