The Schoolcraft Historical Society (SHS) will be celebrating completion of the $110,000 renovation of the Dr. Nathan Thomas Underground Railroad house from 1-3 p.m. Saturday October 4, 2025. The public is invited to tour the home on 613 East Cass St. in Schoolcraft.
The original house was built in 1835. Additions were made by Dr. Thomas in 1840 to accommodate his new wife, Pamela Brown, and subsequent 4 children. The Thomases made their home a stop on the Underground Railroad. They fed and housed 1,000-1,500 people, helping them escape slavery. The family did this at great risk as they could be fined or jailed for assisting fugitive slaves. The house was originally built on Cass St. west of present-day I-131 but was moved to its current location on Cass east of I-131 in 1868 when Dr. Thomas built a new brick home on the original location.
Eventually, the home was no longer owned by the Thomas family and became a rental property. Nancy Rafferty, current president of the society, recalls that in 1975 she, her sister Harriet and friend Joyce Steeby and children were riding bikes in Schoolcraft and saw that the house was for sale. Knowing the history of the house and with the upcoming bicentennial celebration in mind, they decided they must purchase and preserve this historical house.
They gathered about 40 interested local people at the Kalamazoo Count State Bank (KCSB) to hear a speaker from the Michigan Historical Society discuss how to start a local historical society. When the speaker discovered that the goal was to purchase and maintain an historical building, he indicated that this goal was too ambitious. The locals thought differently: ”Just watch us.” When informed that they only needed to convene two meetings to start an historical society, they adjourned, had some refreshments, then reconvened for the second meeting. The Schoolcraft Historical Society was incorporated May 6,1975. Mary Jane Swartz, Nancy Rafferty’s mother, was its first president.
KCSB was very supportive, providing a loan for the purchase price of $9,700. The building continued as a rental for a while to finance the loan. The loan was paid off in 4 years. SHS embarked on a number of fund-raising events to raise money for restoration, which began in earnest in the 1980s. Louis Conti Restoration was consulted to restore the building with historical fidelity. The building and trades class at Schoolcraft High School, taught by Bob Crissman, did additional work.
Now, after 45 years, the house was again badly in need of repair. Money for this project was donated by the Village of Schoolcraft, Schoolcraft Township, Consumers Energy, the Vicksburg Foundation, local businesses, members of SHS and a GoFundMe campaign. In addition, after visiting the home on a field trip, the 2023-2024 Schoolcraft 5th grade class raised and donated over $1,500 dollars.
The Schoolcraft Historical Society is excited to celebrate Dr. Nathan Thomas and his family, their work to free slaves as a stop on the Underground Railroad, the success of SHS over the last 50 years and the completion of this major restoration project. Please join the celebration at the Nathan Thomas House, 613 E. Cass Street Schoolcraft, on Saturday October 4 from 1-3 p.m. Refreshments will be served.
