What a year we have celebrated for the Oceana County Historical & Genealogical Society (OCH&GS)!
Our headquarters in Hart is open and busy throughout the year, every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Swift Lathers Complex in Mears opens its doors from the middle of June through August, every weekend from 1-4 p.m.
A new barn known as the Agricultural Building was also added to the complex. The official opening for the barn was in June and featured cake and coffee. There were many visitors, making for great times. OCH&GS President Paul Erickson and his group handle the transportation building on Saturdays throughout the summer months. Jerry and Bruce handle the transportation building on Sundays. Thank you, guys!
Many volunteers keep the Swift Lathers house and other buildings open. With the new barn across the street, we required another volunteer to help. We just acquired the Red Russell home next to Lathers’ house to the west. That is now being renovated for a possible schoolhouse and post office. The volunteer dinner was in October at the Mears United Methodist Church. So with the headquarters in Hart being the only building open for now, the OCH&GS is looking forward to 2025.
So what did Swift Lathers say 100 years ago?
“Sleigh Bells are ripe in the land of Mears”
- The Mears Newz, Dec. 26, 1924
“Storybooks are ripe in the land of Mears”
-The Mears Newz, Jan. 2, 1925
Happy New Year and onto 2025 from all of us at the OCH&GS!
