Fabian Knizacky reads one of the new display panels in the fire barn.
By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
PERE MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP — More than 1,100 people gathered Friday at Historic White Pine Village to celebrate the Mason County Historical Society museum’s 50th anniversary, honoring five decades of preserving the county’s history while looking ahead to its future.
Admission for the event was sponsored by West Shore Bank, allowing the historical society to open the village free of charge in appreciation of the community that helped establish and support the museum over the past half-century.
From left, former executive director Thom Hawley, current executive director Rebecca Berringer, and former executive director Ron Wood.
The celebration featured the unveiling of two newly renovated exhibits — the Phoenix Fire Barn and the Village Blacksmith Shop — along with the debut of the Heritage Trail interpretive signage project. Visitors explored dozens of historic buildings with volunteer docents, watched demonstrations throughout the village, enjoyed free House of Flavors ice cream and attended a ceremony that included proclamations from the Michigan Legislature and the Mason County Board of Commissioners.
The anniversary also celebrated a vision that began decades before the village opened in 1976.
Historical Society President James Jensen traced the organization’s roots to 1937, when local residents formed the Mason County Historical Society with the goal of preserving the county’s history.
“They knew they wanted to preserve history, they knew they wanted to present history, and they knew they wanted to protect all the artifacts and all the information that they could,” Jensen said.
He described how the society’s collections evolved from temporary displays in various municipal buildings, libraries and the Mason County Courthouse, to a small museum before leaders began pursuing the idea of creating an outdoor historical village centered around the 1847 Burr Caswell home, Mason County’s oldest surviving frame building and the county’s first courthouse.
Jensen credited three individuals as being instrumental in making the village possible: historian and storyteller Abe Nelson, historical society museum founder Rose Hawley and longtime county official Jerome Jorrisen, whose efforts helped acquire the property and expand the site into the museum visitors know today.
Attendees line up for ice cream.
Since opening in 1976 during the nation’s Bicentennial celebration, Historic White Pine Village has grown into one of Michigan’s largest outdoor historical museums, with more than 30 historic and replica structures representing nearly every aspect of Mason County’s early history. Those buildings include the original courthouse, the Marchido School, original Pere Marquette Township Hall, a doctor’s office from Custer, a general store, sawmill, railroad exhibits and numerous other attractions. The historical society also expanded over the years with the addition of the Port of Ludington Maritime Museum, which opened in 2017 in the restored former U.S. Coast Guard Station in Ludington and the Rose Hawley Archives, which opened in 2022 in downtown Ludington.
Thom Hawley, the society’s inaugural executive director reflected on helping transform that vision into reality.
“When we first opened our doors, we weren’t just trying to display artifacts,” Hawley said. “We wanted to build a place where history had a pulse. We wanted future generations to walk into our courthouse, hear the clang of the blacksmith’s hammer and truly feel the grit and resilience of the pioneers who settled this region.”
Hawley credited generations of volunteers, donors and staff members for ensuring the museum continued to grow long after its opening.
Former Executive Director Ron Wood noted that 2026 marked several milestones, including America’s 250th anniversary, his family’s sesquicentennial farm and White Pine Village’s golden anniversary.
“I have been honored, humbled and blessed to have served and been given the opportunity to provide leadership for the presentation and preservation of Mason County history,” Wood said.
Mason County Board of Commissioners Chair Janet Anderson presents a resolution to MCHS President James Jensen.
Former Executive Director Rick Plummer praised the work of his predecessors and the current leadership, saying the village’s future remains bright because of its dedicated volunteers, donors and supporters.
Current Executive Director Rebecca Berringer focused her remarks on the museum’s future, highlighting the newly completed Heritage Trail project, which includes interpretive signs at historic buildings and new way-finding displays designed to guide visitors through the village chronologically.
Dr. Bill and Anna Anderson pay tribute to the raising of the U.S. flag.
“We want people to not just come here and remember a building,” Berringer said. “We want them to come here, and when they leave, we want them to remember how it felt. We want them to feel a connection to the time.”
Berringer said the long-range vision includes reorganizing the visitor experience to allow guests to travel through Mason County’s history from Native American life through the lumbering era and into the mid-20th century.
Learning about blacksmithing.
Following the celebration, Berringer reflected on the day’s success.
“Seeing more than 1,100 people come together to celebrate Historic White Pine Village’s 50th Anniversary was truly inspiring,” she said. “Our volunteers brought history to life through demonstrations, and it was rewarding to see so many visitors enjoying the new Heritage Trail and exhibits in the Blacksmith Shop and Fire Barn. We heard countless comments about how much people appreciated learning the stories behind each historic building.
“Thanks to the generosity of West Shore Bank, House of Flavors Restaurants and the donors who supported our new exhibits, we were able to welcome the community for a day of free admission, great history and plenty of ice cream. It was a wonderful celebration of Mason County’s heritage and an exciting look toward the Village’s next 50 years.”
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