Crossroads Village (Michigan) facts for kids
| Established | July 4, 1976 |
|---|---|
| Location | Genesee Township, Michigan, US |
| Type | Living museum |
| Owner | Genesee County Parks & Recreation Commission |
Crossroads Village is a fun "living history museum" in Genesee County, Michigan. It's close to the city of Flint. This special village is run by the Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission. It works together with the Huckleberry Railroad. The idea for the village started as a plan for a park along the Flint River. It also included a farm museum. Crossroads Village officially opened its doors in 1976.
The village has 34 buildings. Many of these are old buildings from the 1800s that have been fixed up. You can also find exciting amusement rides here. There's a narrow-gauge railroad and a copy of an old paddlewheel steamboat. Crossroads Village also holds many fun events and festivals all year long. You can find the village at 6140 Bray Road in Genesee Township.
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History of Crossroads Village
The city of Flint made a big plan in 1950. This plan included creating a fun recreational area along the Flint River. In 1965, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation offered money to buy land. They had some conditions, like starting a special commission. So, Genesee County created its Parks and Recreation Commission the next year.
People suggested building a farm museum in the area. Also, local people were worried about old buildings being torn down. They met to talk about how to save these historic places. The idea was to have a historical village next to the farm museum. Donated buildings would be moved there. Crossroads Village and the Huckleberry Railroad first opened on July 4, 1976.
Since 2018, the Sloan Auto Fair has been held at the village. It used to be at the Flint Cultural Center. It moved because the Flint Institute of Arts was expanding.
In April 2020, the Genesee County Parks Director announced something important. Crossroads Village and the Huckleberry Railroad would not open for the summer season. This was because of the coronavirus pandemic. They planned to open later in October 2020. This was the first time the park had to delay opening since it began in 1976.
Fun Attractions to Explore
Crossroads Village has 34 buildings. Many of these are old buildings from the 1800s that have been restored. You can see Michigan's oldest working gristmill here. There's also a barbershop, a blacksmith shop, and a cider mill. Don't forget the general store! The T.N. North and Son Bank was moved from Vassar. The town hall came from Clayton Township.
The village also has many exciting amusement rides. You can ride the narrow-gauge Huckleberry Railroad. There's also a copy of a paddlewheel steamboat called Genesee Bell. Both the train and the steamboat travel along Mott Lake.
Exciting Amusement Rides
The amusement rides at Crossroads Village are very old and special. One is a C.W. Parker Superior Wheel, which is a Ferris wheel. It was built way back in 1910. There's also a C. W. Parker carousel from 1912. Other rides include Venetian swings and pony carts. The carousel was built in Leavenworth, Kansas. It was in California for 30 years. Then, a private collector in Michigan bought it. Crossroads Village got the carousel in 1983. They used a $175,000 grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. In 2010, Michigan History magazine called the carousel "the happiest place in Genesee County."
The Huckleberry Railroad
The Huckleberry Railroad is a special narrow-gauge train. It runs from Crossroads Village along Mott Lake. It uses old Pere Marquette train tracks. The railroad has 11 wooden passenger cars. It also has a caboose. There are two steam locomotives. One is former Alaska Railroad Baldwin 4-6-0 #152. The other is former Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad K-27 class #464.
Yearly Events and Festivals
Crossroads Village hosts many popular events. Students and teachers can take 19th-century "school days" field trips. These happen at the Stanley Schoolhouse, which is from 1883. There's an annual Labor Day picnic and parade. A Railfans Weekend is also held for train lovers.
The village celebrates Halloween and Christmas with special festivities. Since 2006, they have hosted Day out with Thomas train excursions. The Sloan Museum Auto Fair has been held at Crossroads Village since 2018. It used to be at the Sloan Museum in the Flint Cultural Center.
See also
