ABOUT OCHGS
Established in 1974, the Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society operates as a non-profit organization run by its board of directors and volunteers. One of their top goals is to preserve the history of the landmark structures and their former residents.
The funds received from research fees, membership dues, and donations are used to keep our research center, museum, and society functioning.
CHADWICK MUNGER
RESEARCH CENTER
114 DRYDEN ST | HART, MI 49420
HOURS: WEDNESDAYS | 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Constructed in 1928, the castle-like stone residence at the intersection of Lincoln and Dryden was designed and built by Dr. H.J. Chadwick, a resident whose passion for medicine led him to depart from his beloved town.
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Residing in the house for six decades were Louis and Edith Munger. While she was a naturalist, he was a doctor and orchardist. Together, they made a lasting impact on their local community and the broader world.
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In 1984, the Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society acquired the property as its headquarters, now housing one of the most extensive historical records collections in the State of Michigan.
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MEARS HISTORICAL
PARK & MUSEUM
5698 W FOX RD | MEARS, MI 49436
HOURS: SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS | 1:00 - 4:00 PM (JUN - AUG)
In 1974 the Swift Lathers home in Mears was donated by the family to be used as a museum. Since that small beginning, the museum has grown into a Historical Park featuring a series of historical buildings:​
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Swift Lathers Home
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Swedish Church
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Transportation Museum
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Boynton Cottage
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Tool Museum
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Robinson Museum.
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The Historical Park and Museums are available for self-guided tours on Saturdays & Sundays June through August from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MEETS 3RD TUESDAY | MONTHLY @ 2:00 PM
114 DRYDEN ST | HART, MI 49420
OFFICERS
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Paul Erickson, President
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Carl Wiegand, Vice President
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Sharon Hallack, Recording Secretary
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Amanda Dodge, Corresponding Secretary
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Dennis Gale, Treasurer
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Walter Urick, Past President
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BOARD MEMBERS
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Tina Kinsley
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Dean Gentel
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Jeff Lathers
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Karen Urick
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Mort Wiegand
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Brad Moul
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Georgia Dennison
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Larry Osborne
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Ron Rash
SWIFT LATHERS
Swift Lathers (1889-1970) was a journalist and editor of the Mears Newz, a four-page newspaper that called itself "The Smallest Newspaper in the World". Lathers was a member of the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame and has been called "a bright thread through the history of the county". He described himself as "The Defender of Civilization at the Crossroads," "A Fireball Rolling Down the Pages of Oceana County's History," and "The Perambulating Conscience and Gardener of the Dune Country"
Dr. Chadwick Family
Dr. H.J. Chadwick, designer and builder of the Chadwick-Munger home, was a Hart local who traveled by train to Grand Rapids and Lansing for medical conventions and college lectures, possibly influenced by people who encouraged the move to the city.
With his family leaving Hart and his wife's sister residing in Minneapolis, there were no longer any family obligations tying them to their hometown.
The decision to depart must have been challenging, leaving behind a house filled with cherished memories of happy family moments.
Recalling bedtime recitations of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" with his eldest daughter, Eva, the Chadwicks had shared many joyous occasions in their home.
Despite the sentimental attachments, they sold most of their property and moved to the Grand Rapids, constructing a house on Fifth Avenue and establishing the doctor's office in the Porter Building downtown.
The family made visits back to Hart, and Dr. Chadwick's medical advancements were being continually noted in local reports.
Laura Chadwick fell ill in the winter of 1900 and, without antibiotics, succumbed to pneumonia on a Sunday morning in April 1900.
Her passing left Dr. Chadwick to care for their young children - 13-year-old Eva, nearly 8-year-old Zela, and 6-year-old Jenner.