Additional funds were requested to meet the $30,000 fireworks display cost.
By Steve Waldron
Schoolcraft village council members following a public hearing created an industrial development district for a site on Grand St. owned by Clark Logic and adjacent to its existing building on East Eliza St.
Creation of the district is required before the company can seek approval of an industrial facilities tax exemption, permitted under state law to reduce taxes on new developments which add manufacturing jobs.
In other matters:
The Council voted to opt out of a state limitation on the amount a public employer can contribute to a medical plan. This year’s maximum for the village is $34,979.37. The current cost for health care insurance is $39,652.80. The Council has opted out of the limitation requirement for the past 11 years.
Toni Rafferty, chairperson of the Schoolcraft 4th of July Celebration Committee, updated the Council on the Committee’s progress for the 2023 celebration. The estimated expense for this year’s fireworks is to be close to $30,000. The Schoolcraft 4th of July Celebration Committee has been working over the past year to raise the necessary funds but is still in need of additional funding. Rafferty requested an additional $2,500 from the village in addition to the $2,500 in funding already approved. The Council voted to approve the request after a review of the Committee’s fundraising efforts to date.
Jamie Clark announced that Clark Logic would also contribute an additional $5,000 towards the fireworks in recognition of all the work that Rafferty and the committee have done this year to ensure continuation of the traditional holiday celebration.
“Music In the Park” will be held from 6-8 p.m. on the third Wednesday of June, July, and August. Along with the entertainment there will be food trucks.
Todd Carlin, village representative on the South Kalamazoo County Fire Authority board, presented the Authority’s request an amendment to change its by-laws to approve the appointment of board representative alternates to serve whenever a representative isn’t able to attend a board meeting. The Council approved the amendment.
Village Manager Cheri Lutz interviewed several applicants for the vacant post of finance director but told council members none were determined qualified for the role. Lutz is considering alternative solutions, including asking other area municipalities to see if they would be willing to share the position, having one person perform similar responsibilities at both governments and sharing the expense in proportion to the work done for each. Lutz said one person is working two days a week to help out.
3 Generations in front of wrecker: Charles (CW), Noel, and Ken.
By Steve Waldron, Schoolcraft Historical Society
With Vicksburg’s Old Car Festival coming this month, we thought it would be fun to look back at a local automotive business’ early days.
The Krum family “transportation’” enterprises began in 1888 in Schoolcraft as the “Krum’s Livery & Feed Stable”. This was founded by William B. Krum and his son, Allen, on the corner of Eliza and Grand Street (US 131). In 1890, another son, C.W., who was a shipping clerk for the Michigan Buggy Company of Kalamazoo, purchased the business from his father and brother. He subsequently expanded it to haul freight and mail from the local depot, as well as deliver ice and the Schoolcraft Express within the area.
At the turn of the 20th Century, the principal North-South highway, running from Indiana to Grand Rapids, ran through the village of Schoolcraft. So, it was only logical that as motor cars became more prevalent on this busy route, some enterprising person would take note of this burgeoning opportunity. The Krums recognized this and soon used their livery barn as a location for motorists whose “horseless carriages” needed service. As this business grew, they installed the first local gas pump in 1908. At that time, the gasoline, which only came in one grade and varied in octane, was delivered to the pump’s storage by a horse-drawn tanker wagon operated by the local Standard Oil agent… up until that point, that tanker’s only use had been to deliver kerosene locally for use in local farm lamps.
In 1911, C.W.’s eldest son, Doty, entered the business with his father and the firm was then known as C.W. Krum & Son. Upon Doty’s death in 1918, he was replaced in the family firm by his younger brother, Noel.
In 1917, the C.W. Krum & Son began selling Fords in Schoolcraft as an associate dealer of the Ford agency in Vicksburg. However, that same year, they changed their product line from Ford to Chevrolet and became an associate dealer for the Brophy Chevrolet dealer in Kalamazoo. In 1920, they became their own stand-alone Chevrolet “direct dealer” agency. By 1925, they also established the first full-service station in Schoolcraft.
Something that probably few people today know is that in 1930 the Krums also became a sales and service dealer for the Oliver Farm Equipment line of products for the local farming community as well. Also, the Krums had the foresight to address the developing need for dealing with the disposal of older, worn-out autos who have served their purpose or those which had been wrecked and were not repairable. So, in 1936 they established one of the first local salvage yards. And, let’s be honest, since the dawn of the motoring public, there have always been deer, trees, and other vehicles to collide with, so, the Krums also established a formal body shop that same year to repair vehicles which had suffered any of these fates.
Just like today, Chevys back then had to find their way from the factory to a dealership. Today, new vehicles are usually shipped by boat, train, or semitrailer to a dealership. Well, in the “olden days”, prior to WWII, Krum Chevrolet had to send people to go to the Chevy factory in Flint to pick up and drive their new car inventory to Schoolcraft themselves. In those days, when it was still a thrill for a young person to drive a new car. Young men would volunteer to drive the new cars from Flint to the Schoolcraft dealership. They would take the Grand Trunk railway to Flint one day, stay the night there, and then the next day they would pick up a designated car at the factory and drive it the 135 miles back to Schoolcraft. It would take a full day to make that drive back as the roads were generally in poor condition… no interstate highways back then! Also, those new cars needed to be driven at lower speeds for not just safety reasons, but in those days, you had to “break in” a new vehicle by driving it slower for the first 100 miles or so.
During the second World War, like all dealerships, they faced the same inventory challenges; the scarcity of new car inventory as Detroit began switching to production of war equipment in 1942 which lasted until 1945. Additionally, they faced the challenges of servicing existing vehicles and keeping them on the road throughout the war years as gas, tires, and auto parts were rationed throughout the war.
For the first 60 years, the original family enterprises were led by C.W. Krum and his sons, Doty Krum, who died in 1918, then Noel Krum. 1948 saw Noel purchasing another Chevrolet franchise in Decatur and relocating his family there to run this new venture.
Noel’s son (C.W.’s grandson), Ken, after returning from the War in 1945, finished his studies at Kalamazoo College. He then spent the next few years pursuing his personal passion of coaching football and basketball as well as teaching physical education, part time, while still working at his grandfather’s Schoolcraft dealership. In 1950, Ken decided to devote all his professional time to the family business as his responsibilities there grew. It was during this time that Ken’s grandfather, C.W., was spending more time and attention upon his duties as township supervisor and as a member of the Kalamazoo County Board of Supervisors. This was the beginning of a time which saw a shift of responsibilities at the family enterprise and the dawning of a new era as the “reins” were being passed from one generation to another.
We appreciate the Krum family taking the time to share this information as it sheds light not only on the development of their family business but also illustrates the concurrent development of our local business history. The Krum family has provided active participants in the local community throughout the past 100 years and remain so today through the efforts of successive generations.
We look forward to continuing this story with a review of the recent 50+ years of their business in a future issue.
The Schoolcraft Community Library’s Summer 2023 Reading Program will launch June 3 with a registration Lawn Party from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Besides the sign-up, the party will include popcorn, mural making and balloon animals.
The summer program will include reading challenges, weekly random drawings, prizes and fun programs for all ages. They’ll include Movie Mondays, at 11 a.m. through the end of July, for pre-school and older.
The movie schedule:
June 5 CoComelon June 12 PAW Patrol June 19 The Incredibles June 26 Clifford July 3 Matilda July 10 Sea Beast July 17 Yes Day July 24 Mitchells vs Machines July 31 Encanto
Persistence paid off for Schoolcraft’s new 4th of July committee: Overcoming concerns about a suitable site, the fireworks and festivities will continue into its 96th year.
The group had been told in March that school district property would be unavailable due to construction projects underway.
“A notice went out to the community to help us find a location,” said committee member Kim Parker. “We received many suggestions but either due to size or safety issues, the Committee had almost given up hope for a fireworks show.”
The committee had asked about the Dome Sports Center but had been given reasons it wouldn’t work. It persisted. “In early May there was a meeting out in the Dome’s field and the location passed all requirements,” Parker said.
“This 4th of July will be a day full of family fun: The Firecracker 5K Run/Walk, Lions pancake breakfast, annual car show, craft sales, food trucks, the parade at 11 a.m., historical tours at the Underground Railroad, fire truck rides, kids’ activities, and the Famous Schoolcraft Fireworks at dusk.”
The committee has added a $25 fee for parade entry, excluding military and first responders.
“Due to the cost of fireworks and insurance the Committee has been fund raising to reach a goal of $30,000,” Parker said. “In this 96th year, it’s the Committee’s hope that this tradition will continue.”
OK, what is a plumb bob? “For the most part, surveyors, construction workers and carpenters in years past would have used plumb bobs. The definition reference I found for them is they are a pointed weight attached to a string or cord, used to find a vertical line called a plumb line. Now, with GPS, a plumb bob is more or less a thing of the past.”
Czuk elaborated, noting that construction workers in high-rise buildings would use plumb bobs to help identify an exact location, specifically from one story to another, where to cut out portions of a floor to install piping, for example.
When did your collection begin? “At one time, I enjoyed collecting antique hand tools and I also had a few of these, but it was difficult to display the tools … they’d just end up in a tote box down in the basement. Well, plumb bobs can hang from the ceiling, they’re easy to display and they really don’t take up any shelf or floor space. So that’s how I got started, which was about eight years ago,”
How many plumb bobs do you own? “Eighty-six. I just picked up a wooden plumb bob a few weeks ago at the Paw Paw flea market. That was my most recent addition.”
Where do you find plumb bobs? “I see them on occasion at antique shops, but they’re almost always way overpriced there, so I like to look at flea markets. We spend quite a bit of time in Florida so there are plenty of flea markets down there and that’s where I’ve found most of them. Some people selling plumb bobs at flea markets aren’t even sure what plumb bobs are.”
Do you have a favorite in your collection? “I do. It’s one I made in machine shop class way back in high school. I have it hanging right in the front so people can see it easily.”
What’s the most you’ve paid for a plumb bob? “I’ve never paid over $20 for one of these. It’s really hard to determine the value of plumb bobs because they’re just not collected in a very widespread manner. But as much research as I could do, I’ve found that I have one that is probably worth about $140. It’s one I picked up, most likely at a Florida flea market, for $15 or $16.”
Do you spend a lot of time online looking for plumb bobs? “My greater interest going online is to try finding one for sale – usually on eBay – that looks a lot like one I have bought, for no reason other than to determine if I got a good deal or not.”
Are you a member of any group or association specializing in plumb bob collections? “If there’s one out there or any other plumb bob collectors out there, I’m unaware. There is one plumb bob association I have found, but it’s based in Germany; it’s called the International Plumb Bob Collectors Association. I look at their website often but the wording is in German so I don’t really understand anything it says. I do enjoy looking at the pictures, though.”
Is there a plumb bob you don’t have that you continue to search for? “I’d like to get one with etching on it. Typically, that would be a pattern of some sort. They’re out there but just not real easy to find.”
What materials are plumb bobs made from? “I’ve seen them in copper, brass, wood, bronze and cast iron. As far as shapes go – and I never knew they came in different shapes until I started collecting them – there’s acorn, tear drop, conical, pendulum and pear-shaped.”
Footnotes: Czuk, 72, is a Schoolcraft Township resident. He is retired from the Kalamazoo County Road Commission.
