Lovells Township Historical Society

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Happy New Year from the Lovells Township Historical Society. We wish everyone good health and a prosperous future. It has been a busy year for the historical society and we are working to ensure 2025 offers more interesting displays, exhibits, and events. 

Our December elections brought a few changes in the Board Officers:

• President Richard Perry

• Vice president Sally Brand

• Secretary Lyle Kearns

• Treasurer George Charney

• John Porteous, Glen Eberly, Nancy Simonelli, and Steve Johnson remain in service as Board Members and we recently welcomed Kenneth Ball to our ranks.

 

We would like to recognize and thank John Porteous who served as president for the last several years. His leadership and contributions were significant and long lasting. Some of the best exhibits we have ever offered were generated under his tenure. John helped us make significant headway to convert to computer based displays and WIFI connectivity. His efforts to partner with other nonprofits to create pertinent and meaningful displays achieved great results. John expects to continue helping us with The Backcast podcasts and with displays as time permits.

 

Heather Lovells left the board at the end of 2024 at the same time she resigned her position as Township Trustee. Heather served as the Township representative to the board and as Board Secretary. She was a mainstay that kept us organized and worked tirelessly on displays and events insuring great results. Many thanks to Heather. 

 

Darby Kuenzel resigned from the board earlier in the year. Darby was an at-large board member that contributed valuable time and resources. Her generosity, attention to detail, and efforts to make things right will be missed. Thank you Darby.

 

Many thanks to John, Heather, and Darby for their years of participation and service to the Historical Society and the community we serve.

 

Thanks also to the many volunteers who help us through each season including Brandy and Steve Solak, Bethany and Tylers Stiles, Jo Johnson, Lillian Perry, Roger Perry and the many other folks who lend a hand when we need it. Also thanks to Dave Batchelor and Chris Bogart for adding to our collections this year with material from Jack and Ann Schweigert’s Fly Shop in Roscommon and a beautiful collection of Dick Walle flies respectively. Finally we are eternally grateful to our contributors and our visitors.

 

The board is working hard to complete our 2025 programing and plan our initiatives for the year.

• The 2025 Hot Stove Schedule is set and we look forward to seeing you on January 23rd for the first of seven interesting and informative presenters (see schedule below).

• The 2025 exhibit in the Museum of Fly Fishing History will be focused on Bamboo Rod Making. 

• We are working on the Schoolhouse displays, as well as repairs and the addition of an ADA approved ramp for access to the building.

• We are developing a fundraising plan to include grant applications and corporate sponsorships.

• The trout opener on April 26th will find us all at the Leaky Wader 1K FunRun.

• We look forward to our second annual Fall Upland Event.

Keep an eye on the Web site and our Facebook page to learn about our events and displays as the season progresses. Happy New Year, we are grateful for your continued support and participation.  

 

Hot Stove 2025 Schedule

January 23 - Ryan Swope, Crawford County Sheriff

February 6 - John Walters, Michigan Natural Resources Commissioner

February 20 - Dr. Christina Maxwell, Veterinary Doctor from Grayling Hospital for Animals

March 6 - George Charney presents an astronomical look at The Night Sky Over Lovells

March 20 - Bruce Barlow, MDNR GEMS (Grouse Enhanced Management Sites) Manager

April 3 - Lewie Johnson, Author of A Boy’s Memories: Growing Up on the North Branch of the Au Sable River (2024)

April 17 - Dave Jankowski, author of The Venerable Fly Tyers (2022) and a reissue of The Old Au Sable (Miller, 1966) currently in progress. Dave will talk about the bamboo rodmaking revival and rodmaker gatherings such as Grayrock which is held here in Lovells each June. 

We are open from 10:00am - 3:00pm each Saturday during Michigan's Trout Season (last Saturday in April until the last Saturday in September).
Please e-mail LTHSMuseums@gmail.com to set up an off cycle visit we love showing off the museums for our patrons!