| Michigan Council for the Arts Grant Awarded |
Today, September 11, 2018, Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA)
announced Friends of City Hall has been awarded a grant of $36,000.00
to be used for interior restoration of City Hall. It is the first grant awarded
for City Hall restoration and it will help to pay for architectural restoration
drawings and the intitial phases of a fire suppression system intallation .
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| Our thanks to MCACA for their generous support. |
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| A CHANGE OF MEETING START TIME |
Meetings continue to be held on the 4th Thursday of each month
but meetings now start at 6:00P.M.
at Great Lakes Art And Antiques,
Belle River Rd. immediately south of
Marine City Antiques Warehouse
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| Three Ways You Can Make a Contribution to Friends Online |
Before we can occupy the building we are required to install a fire suppression system (sprinklers) and a platform (porch) lift for ADA compliance. The cost is $96,000. We continue to have fund raisers and write for grants but we need your help too.
1. AmazonSmile: If you shop on Amazon consider looking at AmazonSmile. AmazonSmile is like a "branch" of regular Amazon and sells almost all the same products but donates a portion of a sale to a charity of your choice. Products on AmazonSmile do not cost more and Amazon does not charge any fees. Friends of City Hall is registered with AmazonSmile and donations for Friends have started to accumulate. AmazonSmile donates 1/2 of 1% of the price of your purchase. It seems a small amount at first but multiply that by many sales and a charity makes needed cash without cost or labor. If you are going to buy it anyway get it through AmazonSmile and be a Friend of City Hall. Simply type in Friends of City Hall when asked to name your charity.
2. PayPal Giving Fund: Friends of City Hall is a registered charity with PayPal Giving Fund. You may make donations at this site by typing in Friends of City Hall, Marine City, Michigan or by simply browsing charities by interest or state. PayPal charges no fees to either the charity or the donor. We have received almost $800 from supporters via this platform. 3. CrowdRise: CrowdRise is affiliated with GoFundMe and provides a global outreach for a charity. Friends of City Hall used CrowdRise to qualify for a USA Today/Gannet grant. We didn't get the grant, over 500 charities submiited applications, but we did raise over $3,000 via this playform. CrowdRise, like all global platforms, does charge a small fee which the donor can pay or the charity can cover. That is the cost of reaching tens of millions of people with your charity's campaign. See: https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/be-a-friend-of-city-hall/
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| Blue Denim Too returns January 26, 2019 |
| City Commission Approves Lease |
At the Commission meeting of March 1, 2018 our lease of the main building of City Hall was approved.
We will be signing the lease on Monday, March 5 and we will begin initial demolition of the 1960's - 70's
paneling and added walls soon after. We intend to carefully remove non-original material to get back to the original brick. We have some reason to think there may be brick arches on the north side of the main floor room. We intend to photograph and video tape this process as a way of documenting this history making
restoration of City Hall.
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| 2018 Calendar of Meetings, Events and 2019 Blue Denim Date |
| Historic District and National Register Signs |
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| The Historic District sign was erected August 23, 2017 and has garnered quite a bit of attention. |
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| Friends of City Hall is pleased to be able to share some of the history and achievements of Marine City. We welcome your contributions to assist us with this expense. |
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| Although City Hall has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982 vedry few people knew about it. Friends of City Hall hope this investment will do a good job speaking for the building and telling of its place in history. |
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| NEWS: Memorial Paver project now completed - see Paver page |
| History Preserved in Bronze |
In 1981 a representative of the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) came to Marine City to analyze City Hall and do research on its history. An application was then written and submitted to the United States Secretary of the Interior requesting City Hall be added to the National Register of Historic Places. That application was granted and City Hall was placed on the Register in 1982. A copy of that application and the acceptance letter are on file with city government. A few people who know some of the history of City Hall are aware of its placement on the Register and Friends of City Hall makes a point to mention this honor wherever possible. But, there has never been an effort to memorialize this special status with any kind of sign or plaque. The general public and casual visitors to City Hall do not learn of this.
In 2008 Heritage Square and City Hall became the first Historic District in Marine City. However, no effort was made to erect an Historic District sign. Historic Districts are a matter of community pride in the history and culture of its past. Having an Historic District identifies a community as aware of its heritage and mindful of preserving it. Of course Friends of City Hall makes constant mention of the Historic District but a formal, permanent sign is truly what is required.
Neither the federal government or state government pay for Registry plaques or Historic District signs.
To correct these oversights Friends of City Hall has started a fund raising campaign to purchase and install a bronze plaque on City Hall which will tell of its listing on the National Registry of Historic Places. In addition, a traditional Historic District sign will be purchased and installed to face the street. Bronze was chosen for its durability and lasting beauty.
Both the plaque and the free standing sign will be illuminated at night.
If you agree that City Hall and Marine City needs and deserves this recognition please make a donation to Friends of City Hall to help fund this signage. Friends is a 501 (c) 3 corporation and all donations are tax deductible. Your gift of $10, $20 or more will be a big help in completing this project.
Please send your donation to:
Friends of City Hall
P.O. Box 283
Marine City, MI 48039
Please write 'Plaque' on the memo line of your check.
Save your check and stamp and donate by PayPal below.
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THANK YOU SO MUCH!
We have been very touched by the community response to our project.
Especially moving are the notes that people often include with their checks.
It is clear that City Hall holds a very special place in the hearts and
memories of people of Marine City and this region. Thank you for your
generous gifts and your memories. It is much appreciated.
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Cullen
Anchor Inn Motel Gloria Biermann
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Cottrell
Miriam Guyor
Frances Welser
Mr. and Mrs. Billock
Claire DeCoster
Mr. and Mrs. Tom Wegmeyer
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Hill
Mr. and Mrs. George Roegner
H. Carole Beauchamp
Janice Wiltshire
Amy F. Bouren
Mr. and Mrs. Steve Hoerr
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Beals
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lepley
Donald Kuchers
Fine Arts Models
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Judith White
Marine City Gunsmith, Jesse White
Christine Kady
Georgia Phelan
Nancy Molnar
Marketing of America
Marge Guinther
Donna Tebeau
| Community Pride and Heritage Museum
Stephen Saph
Mr. and Mrs. Ty Jobin
Patrick and Amy Sullivan
Michigan N otary Association
Real Estate One
North Bay Building Company
Margaret and William Danneels
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| 2017 Schedule of Meetings and Special Events |
All meetings are held at Great Lakes Art and Antiques
123 N. Belle River Rd.
immediately south of The Antique Warehouse
January 26 7:00 P.M. Annual Meeting
February 23 7:00 P.M. Regular Meeting
March 23 7:00 P.M. Regular Meeting
April 27 7:00 P.M. Regular Meeting
May 25 7:00 P.M. Regular Meeting
June 22 7:00 P.M. Regular Meeting
July Preparation and Mailing of 2018 Membershipp Drive details TBA
July 27 7:00 P.M. Regular Meeting
August 24 7:00 P.M. Regular Meeting
September 9 10:00 A.M. Preparation Day at 300 Broadway for Heritage Days
September 15 10:00 A.M Final set up at 300 Broadway for Heritage Days
September 15 7:00 P.M. Heritage Days Opens with East China Community Band Concert
September 16 10 ~ 6:00 P.M. Heritage Days
September 17 10 ~ 6:00 P.M. Heritage Days
September 28 7:00 P.M. Debriefing Meeting
October 26 7:00 P.M. Regular Meeting
October 28 3 ~ 6:00 P.M. Ghost Tours with the MCPD
November Meeting will be held only if necessary
December 7 7:00 P.M. Christmas meeting Please bring snacks and treats to share
January 2018 7:00 P.M. Annual Meeting
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| To see more photos of the restoration process see the Restoration page. |
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| South facade of City Hall with damaged bricks removed. |
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| The Doyenne Begins to Reveal Her Secrets
Bit by bit, as the sealant is removed and the damaged brick taken away, the grand old gal is beginning to tell us fascinating snippets of her life story. The most surprising so far is what we are learning about the brick laying technology employed in her construction. Removing the outer layer of brick revealed no air gap/weeping space between the inner core of bricks and the skin. Instead, a very unique bonding method was employed. Where ever you see a row of darker, more reddish brick, it is the site of a clever technique for uniting the core to the skin, i.e. a bonding of two wythes (widths). Those darker red bricks are shaped to have a point jutting out the back. Bricks of the same course in the inner wythe are set in on a diagonal to form a v shape recieving gap. You can see a partial row of this "dog tooth" technique to the right of center in the photo. Just above you can see the end of a newly revealed iron restraining rod. This one was not decorated with an escutcheon (decorative face plate). To see more pictures of the restoration go the the Restoration page.
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| Friends of City Hall is a 501 (c) 3 corporation. |
Friends of City Hall is an organization
dedicated to preserving City Hall. "Friends"
is a non-profit organization and has been
granted 501 c 3 status. Anyone interested
in architecture, its preservation and
restoration, the history of Marine City or
simply someone who loves this old building
is encouraged to join.
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| City Hall about 1910 |
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