Meeting to Re-established the Almont Community Historical Society

Jim Wade
May 8, 2023
2 Min Read

On May 8, 1986, a group of citizens met at Roger and Christina Bailey’s home on West St. Clair. The purpose of the meeting was two-fold. The first purpose was to re-establish – or more accurately, reinvigorate – the Almont Community Historical Society and second was to devise a plan to save the old Town Hall building. At the meeting were Roger and Christina Bailey, Mary Young, Deniege King, and Kay and David Hurd.

The Old Town Hall was built in 1884 and served both the Village of Almont and Almont Township until 1979 when the Municipal Building was constructed. For seven years, the Old Town Hall had remained empty. It had continued to deteriorate becoming a public eyesore. It had also been the subject of vandalism and graffiti.

The people attending the meeting recently had nominated a three block area of West St. Clair Street to be placed on the National Registry of Historical Places (See: “West St. Clair National Historic District”). The Old Town Hall was originally included in that nomination but the Village Council objected to its inclusion because they wanted to demolish the building and create parking space behind the Main Street businesses. The Michigan Historic Preservation Review Board, after viewing the Village’s objections, approved the nomination of the other fourteen building. To be placed on the National Registry of Historic Places first requires the approval of the Michigan Historic Preservation Review Board.

Efforts to raise the funds necessary to save the Old Town Hall or to find grant monies for its preservation were not successful and in 1987 the building was torn town to create a parking lot.

Even though their efforts failed, the people at this May 8^th meeting got with former historical society members and re-invigorated the group to help save other pieces of Almont’s history and heritage.

On September 27, 1986, the Almont Community Historical Society was re-established with Kay Hurd as President; Christine Bailey as Secretary; Mary Young, Treasurer; Deniege King, Vice President; and Doug Graves, Karen McRoberts, and David Hurd as Directors.