Schoolcraft Village Council at a March 21 meeting voted to apply for a $10.5-million federal grant to build a sewer line on Grand Street – US-131 – from one end of the village to the other.
It would provide sewage disposal for businesses on the busy highway which, like the rest of the village, now depend on septic tanks.
The village’s application coincides with a growing interest among townships in St. Joseph County south of Schoolcraft for a sewer system and sewage treatment plant to attract economic development. The village and the townships of Park and Flowerfield, which straddle the US-131 corridor, have signed a letter of intent to discuss the issue, said Schoolcraft council President Keith Gunnett.
The St. Joseph County townships have asked the five-community South County Water & Sewer Authority about joining it and to consider operating the sewer system if becomes a reality.
In Schoolcraft, the grant would pay for the sewer, connections to buildings on Grand St. and a sewage interceptor to the Kalamazoo sewage treatment plant, said Finance Director Tammi Youngs.
The village council approved the grant application unanimously. “We were notified that Kalamazoo County had $15 million from ARPA (the American Rescue Plan Act) if we submitted our application by March 15,” said Youngs. “Our engineers worked up a cost, $10.5 million.”
“All other details would have to be worked out if we were awarded the grant. That should be worked out this spring,” she said.
A sewage disposal system in the village, how to pay to build and maintain it and where to dispose of the sewage have been contentious issues for years.
The sewer on Grand St. would have capacity to serve the rest of the village and some nearby areas, Gunnett said.
The village has no guarantee it will receive a grant. “We don’t know if we can get those funds. We’re trying to get them because the government is passing out all this money. But you’ve got to have a plan before anyone will give you money,” Gunnett said.
He doesn’t favor sending sewage to Kalamazoo for treatment. He’s put off by the distance and the age of Kalamazoo’s infrastructure. A sewage treatment plant in Park Township south of Schoolcraft might be placed 10 miles away.
Doug Kuhlman, zoning administrator for several communities in St. Joseph County, said the two townships are interested in economic development. “I have people who would like to locate in the corridor. If we don’t have sewers, they can’t.”
The South County Water & Sewer Authority includes the villages of Vicksburg and Schoolcraft and townships of Schoolcraft, Brady and Pavilion. It operates two sewer systems, one serving Pickerel and Indian Lakes and another in Pavilion Township. Sewage from both is routed to Kalamazoo’s treatment plant.
Left: The artist Deb Curtis has returned to the area. Middle, right: Kayak Summer and Tire Swing, two paintings by Curtis.
By Alisha Siebers, Executive Director, Vicksburg Cultural Arts Center
To welcome Deborah Curtis back to South Kalamazoo County after being away since 2004, the Schoolcraft Community Library is hosting an exhibit of her artwork.
When Deb was 3 years old, she lived in the apartment above what used to be the Vicksburg Locker Plant on the corner of East Prairie and Kalamazoo. She remembers watching her mother, Shirley J. Curtis, create a pen and ink drawing of a woman in a mink stole. She was mesmerized as she watched her mother’s tiny strokes make the image come to life. Her mother was her earliest and greatest influence in her life – she inspired, encouraged, and supported her in her artistic endeavors. Her father was a painter too, one of the best autobody painters at Checker Motors. He later worked at The Mill and eventually retired from Houghton Manufacturing.
Deb’s upbringing in Southern Kalamazoo County fueled her love of nature; you can see her passion for lake views, wildlife, and rural landscapes in her work. She was raised on several lakes in Portage and, as a teenager, she lived on small farms in the Vicksburg area.
In addition to her love of family and nature, Deborah’s work is influenced by her quest to find meaning and spirituality as she navigated her way through deep tragedies. When she was in her 30’s, Deb lived with her three children and her husband, Mark Kubicek, on a small farm in Fulton. He was killed in an auto accident on his way to work on Portage Road in 1989. Later, after she married her second husband, Rich, and moved with him to Sun City West, Arizona, they discovered that he had a degenerative brain disease. Deborah took care of him for 21 years until he passed away in Holland a year ago. Today, she has finally returned to where she grew up and is appreciating lake life at Klines Resort.
Deborah acknowledges that tragedy brought her to where she is today in her artistic and spiritual journey: “It makes you dig really deep. You need to find out who you are, what really matters, and how to hold on during times you never dreamed you’d experience.” Curtis accesses spiritual peace in nature. She explains, “When out in nature exploring and experiencing, I feel closest to God. I’m not distracted by manmade things or human interaction. It’s just God’s creations and me.” Her hope as an artist is that she can serve as a humble tool to uplift people. To learn more about her journey or to view her work, you can visit her website DeborahCurtis-Designs.com
Deborah Curtis’ work will be on display at the Schoolcraft Community Library until March 18. On Wednesday, March 2, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., you can meet her in person at the Library Open House.
Mere mortals are poised, as the maestro Lifts his baton in readiness, The anticipation builds as the French horns Blast forth the sunrise OF EACH NEW DAY.
Critics await, scrutinizing for flaws But can only marvel at perfection, As scarlet rays break through gray clouds, The allegro reaches, grasping for the pinnacle ON THIS GLORIOUS DAY.
The pianissimo of strings emanates A tapestry of azure skies, The piccolos bring forth the trill of birds Then a cacophonic sound of the awakening world FOR EACH UNIQUE DAY.
Preparing for contrasts, the timpani rumbles, The pleasant melodies disappear as Deep throated sounds from cellos prepare us For the approaching storm ON A THREATENING DAY.
Necessary transgressions of life Blow over in a fraction of time, The marimba conveys lighthearted busyness and The oboe proclaims clearing skies, as we HURRY THROUGH THIS DAY.
The bassoons alert us to the sunset Awakening a kaleidoscope of slumbering hues, The harp fills the horizon with crimson streaks Blending a sweet mixture as the sun disappears A DRAMATIC CLOSING TO ANOTHER DAY.
Some folks never noticed as they hurried on their way The awesome production taking place before them, Tickets come dearly to this extravaganza A drum roll for the miracles before us ON EACH BEAUTIFUL DAY.
The conductor never seems to falter As he leads his orchestra with finesse, Talent and skill blend to pull it together The tempo builds in one glorious, haunting finale TO THIS SPECIAL DAY.
Encore! Encore! Are we never satisfied? Twinkling notes of the triangle symbolize the stars, On cue, the flutes announce the rising of the moon Simulated by the bass on a black, velvet sky. And a flourish with the crescendo of cymbals!
APPLAUSE, APPLAUSE, BRAVO! A STANDING OVATION FOR THE ORCHESTRATION!
With dumping of trash increasing on Kalamazoo County’s rural roadsides, the Kalamazoo Conservation District is planning a pick-up event from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. April 9. It’s looking for volunteers.
The pick-up will focus on South County, including Pavilion, Climax, Schoolcraft, Brady and Wakeshma townships.
The district has received a grant from Enbridge Fueling Futures and will provide all required supplies for the event such as safety vests, gloves, trash grabbers and snacks. It’s reaching out to community and civic associations, schools and youth groups, families and friends, business employees and any other group that would like to participate.
Those interested in participating, are asked to sign up at the Kalamazoo Conservation District’s website, www.kalamazooconservation.org, to volunteer. Those with questions may call the Kalamazoo Conservation District office at 269-775-3368 or send an email to kalamazooconservation@gmail.com.
Kaitlyn Hamacher.Sadness, a painting by Kaitlyn Hamacher.Katherine Suender.Mug rugs make fun craft projects.
Prairie Page Turners – February 2 at 2 p.m. in the Bob Crissman Community Room. The book for March is Mitch Albom’s “The Stranger in the Lifeboat”. Books available to check out. Join us for a great discussion, sharing and snacks!
Preschool Story Hour Go Green! – March 8 11-11:30 a.m. Ages 3-6. Stories, fingerplays, movement and a take home craft.
Art Displays in the Community Room
Acrylic Art by Deborah Curtis on display through March 18 with a Meet and Greet on March 2 from 5:30-7 p.m.
A self-taught contemporary artist, Deborah mainly uses acrylics to express her creativity. Some of her works that are meant to express a more complex emotion may include mixed media elements such as inks, modeling paste, or beads and items found in nature.
Art by Kaitlyn Hamacher – March 28 Meet and Greet April 6 from 5:30-7 p.m. “My work, to me, is an outlet. Therefore, I would like my art to not only create a feeling, but also create conversation’ Hamacher said. “My work is up for interpretation as well, as the broad topics my art focuses on are not directly stated. However, they are shown through color choice and visual clues in order to give context.”
Art by Katherine Suender – March 28 Meet and Greet April 6 from 5:30-7 p.m. Katherine considers herself a “jack of all trades, master of none” when it comes to her art. Within the show, you will see monoprints, drawings, photographs, gourd art, experimental watercolor, tie dye, ceramics, and fused glass pieces.
Teen Take Home Craft Kits – Mug Rugs – March 7, while they last!
Grades 5-12 pick up a kit to make a rug for your favorite mug!
If you don’t watch out, you might run into history just about anywhere. Even an innocent antiquing trip to Schoolcraft, and the buying of one little post card, can set a person off on the trail of something or another. This time, it was the story behind the building on my post card, Commercial House Hotel.
The history of this entire area, including the village of Schoolcraft, began with the coming of the first white explorers. They were probably LaSalle and his followers, who reported that on April 2, 1680, they spent the night about five miles east of a great round prairie located between two rivers. We know now that those two rivers were the St. Joseph and the Kalamazoo.
Much incorrect information was circulated for years about Michigan. It was described in an early U. S. survey as “…so swampy that not 100 acres in the entire Great Lakes appear capable of supporting settlers…”
It wasn’t until the 1826 survey by Robert Clark that the economic potential of the fertile band of prairies in the southern part of the Michigan Territory was discovered. Once word got out that Michigan was not just one big swamp, settlers quickly arrived. They were amazed at the exquisite beauty of the area French explorers called Prairie Ronde meaning “Round Prairie”.
Schoolcraft pioneer E. Larkin Brown remembered his first view of Schoolcraft Prairie during a pioneer gathering held in 1879. Mr. Brown was quoted as follows:
“On the 5th day of November 1831, I finished a long and tedious journey of over three weeks from Vermont by riding from Bronson, (now Kalamazoo), down a road that was the old Indian trail…to what was known as the Big Island. Nearly half of the vast and beautiful Prairie Ronde lay in what was to become Schoolcraft Township, the other half in Prairie Ronde Township…It was known as Big Island from the fact that it was the largest body of trees within the bounds of the prairie.
“Early in March the rank growth of last year’s grass, dried by the sun and wind, was set on fire and the whole prairie burned over, leaving it bare and black as midnight. Then in a few days came the beautiful flowers, covering the whole prairie with one uniform kind and color. These flowers would bloom and fade, to be replaced by flowers of another kind and color, and those by yet another kind and color, until cold weather marked the end of the growing season”.
The original plat of the village of Schoolcraft, which took its name from Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, was received for record October 5, 1831. The description of the original plat, as recorded in the registrar’s office at Kalamazoo, stated the village was located “…east of the Big Island on Prairie Ronde.”
The fertile, flower-strewn prairie was soon discovered as perfect for the cultivation of wheat. Prairie Ronde wheat was grown in such quantities it was exported to the Lake Michigan port of St. Joseph, then on to the markets of Chicago. The wheat traveled on boats holding from 800 to 1,000 bushels traveling along the St. Joseph River. The gradual growth of this wheat economy led to development and expansion, and Schoolcraft’s first hotel, The Big Island Hotel was built in 1832. But it’s the village’s second hotel that holds our interest today.
The Schoolcraft House was located on Grand Street in a building originally used as a dwelling, then enlarged and converted into a hotel. This structure was torn down in 1870 and replaced in 1872-73 by the large brick hotel shown in my 1909 post card purchase. The new building was named the Troxel House after its builder, then later the Commercial Hotel. Much later, greatly modified and missing its third floor, this grand old building served the public for many years as Bud’s Bar. And, so we hear, after being closed for several years it will re-open in the spring.
And there we have it. An innocent browsing trip turned into a question about a building, which turned into explorers, fields of flowers, fields of wheat, the “why” behind the name Prairie Ronde, and a look into the history of yet another familiar landmark.
