Museum: Old Maps

I worked on the Historical Museums Newsletter yesterday again..it is finally ready to mail.  I am all done with newsletters until May when I am back in my office.

I am working on several H.U.G.E. projects…it all takes time. If I would stop making suggestions and having ideas I would be less stressed and in charge of less projects.  Ground work and making the road maps for an organization to follow is not an easy job. Attracting new members, raising funds, seeing that things get repaired and keeping one hand on the pulse of an organization is not exactly a walk in the park or a stroll down the road either. The board members assured me that they would send articles for the newsletter..three did and the other four dropped the ball. I filled in the blanks so I could get the newsletter off of my desk.  I did not think I would feel burned out during the winter..but after yesterday and the day before..I sure was.  I have to give them one more day this week..and then I can get all my ducks in a row on the next project. Most everything is in place. I just need to set the wheels in motion.  I hope the map I made is a good one. I do not want to crash and burn after all the effort.  Don’t worry I will tell you all about it sooner or later.

I thought that this was a cool map to share today.  The map is all folded up inside this folder.

 

I wanted to see what 1924-1925 looked like in my neck of the woods.  So I took a photo!

I was thrilled to find that Detroit Lakes was still called Detroit ( Later in 1926 it was changed to Detroit Lakes so that it would not be confused with Detroit, Michigan.)

Highway 34 went right past the farm I grew up on and very near where we live now. The stair step highway which we live near was featured in the opening chapter of Red Earth White Earth..which was written by a local farm kid and eventually became a movie.

Highway 34 was realigned in the 1940’s..and the booming town of Ponsford was no longer on the main route to Detroit. A new road was built, and the old part of Highway 34 that included Ponsford became known as Highway 225.  Old roads were often the life blood of a community..that and railroad tracks..if you were missed by either of them your town was going to struggle before it eventually died.

I wonder did the powers that be ever wonder if their new road map was the way to go? Did they feel guilty..or was it all in the name of progress?

Yesterday I took one of my volunteers out to lunch..and one of these days I will take my other wonderful volunteer (Far Guy) out for breakfast..both of them are ready to hit the ground running in the spring and are looking forward to the Museum opening..me not so much..at least not today..perhaps tomorrow:)