Museum & Historical Park

The Swift Lathers home features a large front porch, sunroom, beautiful woodwork, and etched windows.  The kitchen and other aspects of the home serve as a reflection of the lives and times of bygone days in a sandy, lumbering era of Oceana.  The property contains gardens as sections of C & O railroad tracks and antique railroad signs. The Boynton Cottage, from Little Sable Point is a hands-on example of early beach cottages. Antique tools, as well as farming and logging equipment, have a building of their own

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The Transportation Museum houses an exhibit of dune vehicles (Swift's son, Bill Lathers owned and operated the original dune rides).  The 1926 Model-T dune-rider on display once lived within the Lathers barn which rested exactly where the transportation building sits today. Dale Lathers laughingly said the vehicle, has spent its entire life housed within a four-block radius of the garage.  Several vehicles on display denote the beginnings of that popular area sport.  Also featured are boats, farm trucks, tractors, horse-drawn transportation, trains and a depot.

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Conference room rental available $100/day

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Application available HERE

Donated by the family, this typical lakeshore cottage, built in 1909 by Rev. Malbourne Parker Boynton (the original summer resident on the Little Sable Point's south shore community), is a small one-room cottage that played an integral part of the Little Sable Point community's development.  It contains a small pot-bellied stove used for both warmth and cooking and has a loft for sleeping.

Also on display are artifacts of life at the lakeshore, including a life ring from the SS Novadoc.

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This charming country church was acquired in 1985 from the disbanding congregation of the local Swedish Mission Covenant Church.  The church seats 80-100 people and is available for small weddings, reunions, anniversary celebrations, clubs and other meetings for a nominal fee.

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Church rental available: $200/day

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Application available HERE

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The Tool Museum is displayed in the original garage of the Swift Lathers Home.  The collection includes a variety of antique tools, as well as farming and logging equipment.  A unique ladder developed by an Oceana County Man that was used for picking fruit is also on display.  The garage also houses the original bathroom facilities for the family’s used – a “three-hole” outhouse.  Since it was inside the garage there was no need to worry about pranksters tipping it over on Halloween.

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Step back in time for old-time laundry displays, a Dentist’s Office, a Doctor’s Office, a Post Office, and changing exhibits.  

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The material for the shell of this museum building was given by the Robinson family to honor the first chairman of the Oceana County Museum, Mrs. Marjorie I. Robinson

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The Old Town Hall, in downtown Mears was acquired by the OCHGS from Golden Township in 2005 after the township moved into the vacant Golden Elementary School.  It is unknown the exact date it was constructed, however, several clues within the building lead one to believe it was built in the late 1800’s.  

 

The lower level was used for township operations while the upper floor was utilized in a variety of ways.  At one time the Odd Fellows Lodge met there.  It was also known as the place to get an oyster dinner when the train would come to town with oysters. With its high ceilings it was a wonderful place for youth to play basketball before the school built a gym. 

 

Now the upper level is used as storage for many of the Society’s artifacts. The township offices on the lower level is now home of the The Oceana Echo/The White Lake Mirror offices. Plans for the front meeting room include a publishing exhibit in the future.

Step back in time for old-time laundry displays, a Dentist’s Office, a Doctor’s Office, a Post Office, and changing exhibits.  

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The material for the shell of this museum building was given by the Robinson family to honor the first chairman of the Oceana County Museum, Mrs. Marjorie I. Robinson

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Designed and built by Dr. H.J. Chadwick, a resident with a passion for medicine.

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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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