Almont Community Historical Society – The Beginning

At the home of Mr. and Mrs. Irwin Brooks (Red and Gertie) on March 21, 1957, Dr. Eugene Peterson was present to explain the steps to be taken to organize a Historical Society in the community of Almont.  Dr. Peterson was a member of the Michigan Historical Commission and director of the museum in Lansing.

On May 16, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Hough, twenty-five interested people met to attend the first meeting and form the historical society for the community of Almont.

Leon T. Bishop acted as chairman of the meeting until the officers had been elected.  James P. Smith was elected President and took over running the meeting.  The following persons were elected officers of the Society: Vice president: Richard Bristol; Secretary: Mrs. Maxine Juhl; Treasurer: Harold Hough; Executive secretary: Mrs. Nellie Veness; Trustees: J. L. Hamilton, Mrs. Gertrude Brooks, Mrs. Belle Bowman, and Robert Wilson.

The Articles of the Society were adopted.

The Society’s purpose shall be to compile and collect any manuscript, photographs, books, records and such historical objects pertaining to the history of the community as may be deemed worthy of preservation and to stimulate a general interest in the history of the Almont Area.

Membership of the Society shall be composed of persons having an interest in the objectives of the Society and have requested the entry of their names upon the Society’s roster of membership.  Membership dues shall be payable to the treasurer annually.  Charter membership shall include all who may choose to join by paying their dues to the treasurer of the Society on or before the next meeting. Committees were chosen for the first project which is to compile information and gather historical items about the business area of Almont.  The next meeting was schedule for September. The exact date and place were to be determined by the Society president.