Presque Isle County Historical Museum gets facelift
The Presque Isle County Historical Museum has been getting some much-needed upgrades to the exterior of the building recently as a result of a generous donation by the estate of Henry and Peggy Hoffman. According to the president of the organization, Harry Whiteley, about $20,000 has been spent repairing foundation boards, re-caulking and replacing broken windows, and scraping peeling paint from the building. Over the years, many local residents have maintained an interest in preserving the history and artifacts of the area. Jean Chronic compiled a brief history of the museum that is the basis for the information contained in this article.
Fifty years ago, some of these people decided to establish the Presque Isle County Historical Society but not much activity was recorded until 1971 when the Historical Society asked Jean Veselenak to research the possibility of acquiring a house scheduled for demolition as a home for the museum. In 1973, the Emmy Schmakel house at the corner of Second and Erie was purchased for $9,000 and it became the first home of the museum. Four years later, the building was opened to the public. The next year a fire swept through the museum resulting in a great deal of smoke and water damage, but the building and most of the contents were saved.
The current home of the museum was donated by U.S. Steel in 1980. The house had been built in 1911 by George Radka. When he died in 1914, the house was sold by his widow to the Michigan Limestone and Chemical Company. The president of MLCC, Carl D. Bradley and his wife made it their home until his death in 1928. Subsequent presidents of the company lived in the house until 1957 when it was loaned to the city of Rogers City to house the county library. After the library moved to another location in 1980, the building reverted to the company, which was then U.S. Steel. The building was donated to the Presque Isle County Historical Museum in 1
The first curator of the museum was a native of Rogers City, Mary Ann Morley, who was instrumental in building the collection and cared for the house as though it were her own. Along with her husband Jack, the couple tended the collections, maintained the building and looked after the grounds until 1994. Laural Maldonado became the new curator in 1994 and continues in that position today. Members of the board of directors for the Presque Isle County Historical Museum, Inc., held their annual meeting on November 8 and elected officers to two-year terms.
Harry Whitely was re-elected president as were Barbara Rasche, vice president; Jean Chronic, treasurer; and Sally Mulka, secretary.