Grice House Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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James and Jane Grice House
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 865 N. Huron Ave., Harbor Beach, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 82000534 |
| Added to NRHP | November 12, 1982 |
The Grice House is a fascinating museum located in Harbor Beach, Michigan. It's like stepping back in time to see how people lived many years ago! You can find this special place at 865 North Huron Avenue.
Contents
History of the Grice House
Who Built the Grice House?
The Grice House was built by James G. Grice. He moved to the United States from England in the early 1860s. He came with five of his seven sons and one daughter. By the 1870s, he was working at the Rock Falls sawmill.
Surviving the Great Fire
The house is very old and strong! It survived a huge event called the Thumb Fire in 1881. This fire was a big disaster in the area, but the Grice House stood tall.
Becoming a Museum
In the 1960s, the last person from the Grice family who lived there passed away. The city of Harbor Beach then bought the property. Soon after, a group of local volunteers decided to turn the house into a museum. They wanted to share the history of the area with everyone.
What You Can See at the Museum
The Grice House museum is more than just one building. It includes the main house, an old schoolhouse, and a pole barn. There are almost 2,000 items across these three buildings!
Inside the Main House
When the museum first opened, people from the community helped a lot. They donated items to furnish the kitchen, living room, a tool room, and a bedroom.
- Marine Room: This room shows items related to the water and boats. You can see the original Fresnel lens from the Harbor Beach Lighthouse. This special lens helped ships see the light from far away! It was used until 1986.
- Sewing Room: This room is full of old clothes, pattern books, and accessories. It even has a beautiful spinning wheel!
- Industrial Room: This is the largest room on the second floor. It tells the story of how industries grew in Harbor Beach long ago.
Other Museum Buildings
- Pole Barn: This barn was built in 1984 next to the house. It holds a collection of old farm equipment. You can see the tools farmers used in the past.
- Adams School: This schoolhouse was built in 1920. It was moved to the museum grounds in 1988. It helps us remember what schools were like in the area many years ago.
Special Exhibits
The museum also has other cool exhibits:
- A pump organ donated by Gladys Seither.
- A large handmade loom by Henry Roots.
- An interesting collection of pioneer tools from Albert Frank.
