Iosco County Historical Society

Iosco County Historical Society "Preserving Iosco's Past, Inspiring Its Future"

Before the Days of Amublances 🚑⚰️This beautiful 1936 Oldsmobile Henney hearse was once owned by the Evans Family Funeral...
09/02/2026

Before the Days of Amublances 🚑⚰️

This beautiful 1936 Oldsmobile Henney hearse was once owned by the Evans Family Funeral Home in East Tawas.

Before modern ambulance and emergency medical services were available, funeral homes often provided transportation for the sick and injured. In Iosco County, vehicles like this one served double duty—operating as an ambulance when someone needed to reach the hospital and as a hearse when a family needed funeral transportation.

Imagine being taken to the hospital in one of these! You would certainly hope the trip ended with a speedy recovery, because the same vehicle that carried you to the hospital could potentially carry you to your grave as well. Talk about motivation to get better!

We also have some exciting news. After speaking with the owner, next year you might see this historic hearse traveling the streets of Iosco County once again! Keep your eyes open—you may get the chance to see an unforgettable piece of our local history in motion.

HEY! Give our post and like and support our team here at the Museum. Follow and share for more great Iosco County rewinds!

We are getting close! Pretty soon, the public will be able to research in our online database!!!!
09/01/2026

We are getting close! Pretty soon, the public will be able to research in our online database!!!!

🐾 Every old family photograph has a story—and sometimes that story has four paws.This wonderful Burrows family photograp...
08/31/2026

🐾 Every old family photograph has a story—and sometimes that story has four paws.
This wonderful Burrows family photograph, taken at Tawas Point around 1930, shows an unidentified older woman holding a German Shepherd-type dog outside one of the brick buildings near the maritime complex.

The Burrows family had deep ties to Tawas Point. Herbert N. Burrows served as head keeper of the Tawas Point Lighthouse from 1910 to 1923, while his son, Palmer N. Burrows, later served in the United States Coast Guard. Although we have not yet identified the woman, the exact building, or the dog’s name, the photograph captures something familiar across every generation—the special place a beloved pet holds within a family.

Dogs were companions, watchdogs, playmates, hunting partners, and sometimes helpers around the home or workplace. Long after other details fade from memory, families often still remember the dog that followed the children to school, waited at the gate, slept beside the stove, or seemed to understand every word spoken.

Did your family have a beloved dog, cat, horse, or other pet whose story has been passed down through the years? Share the pet’s name, a photograph, or a favorite memory in the comments. Perhaps someone even remembers this Burrows family dog! 🐕❤️

Back to school in Hale—1915 edition!On Friday evening, May 14, 1915, eight seniors gathered for Hale High School’s comme...
08/30/2026

Back to school in Hale—1915 edition!

On Friday evening, May 14, 1915, eight seniors gathered for Hale High School’s commencement exercises.

The graduating class included:

Clayton F. Jennings
Norman Westervelt Glendenin
Muriel Ellen Daley
Daniel Deuell Pearsall
Luella Marie Van Wormer
Ella May Graves
Merlin C. Love
James E. La Berge

Their class colors were blue and gold, their flowers were red and white carnations, and their motto was:

“When we build, let us build forever.”

The evening’s program included music, speeches, a class history, a class will and a valedictory address delivered by Deuell D. Pearsall.

More than 110 years later, many of these family names remain familiar throughout Iosco County. Are any members of Hale’s Class of 1915 part of your family tree?

From the Iosco County Historical Museum collection

🌾 BEFORE TRUCKS, SUPERMARKETS, AND COMMUNITY CENTERS, THIS ONE WHITTEMORE BLOCK KEPT THE TOWN WORKING, MOVING, AND CONNE...
08/27/2026

🌾 BEFORE TRUCKS, SUPERMARKETS, AND COMMUNITY CENTERS, THIS ONE WHITTEMORE BLOCK KEPT THE TOWN WORKING, MOVING, AND CONNECTED. 🐴

This remarkable photograph, taken in 1910, shows two of the most important businesses in early Whittemore.

On the left is the Whittemore Elevator Company, built in 1907 along the Detroit & Mackinac Railway. Local farmers brought in beans and other small grains to be weighed, sorted, graded, stored, and loaded onto railroad cars. The tracks visible in the foreground connected Whittemore’s farms with distant markets.

Although the elevator was associated with the Michigan Cereal Company, it was not a breakfast-cereal factory. It was an agricultural shipping center—one of the places that allowed local farmers to turn their harvests into income.

On the right is Schroyer and Wismer’s livery barn and community hall, also built in 1907. Before automobiles became common, a livery was the town’s transportation center. Travelers could rent a horse and buggy, local residents could board their horses, and wagons, harnesses, and equipment could be stored or maintained there.

But this building became much more than a stable.

It was later known as the Roll-Inn and served Whittemore at various times as a:

🐴 Livery stable
🛼 Roller-skating rink
💃 Dance hall
🏀 Basketball court
🍽️ Restaurant
🍺 Tavern
🤝 Community gathering place

The Roll-Inn was destroyed by fire in 1963, ending more than half a century of community use.

Places like these were once found in towns throughout Michigan. The elevator connected farmers to the national economy. The livery connected people to the railroad, nearby farms, stores, and neighboring communities. The hall gave residents a place to meet, celebrate, compete, and socialize.

This photograph is more than a picture of two old wooden buildings. It captures the transportation system, agricultural economy, and social life of an entire community—all in one view.

Do you remember the Roll-Inn, the Whittemore elevator, or stories your family told about either building? Please share them with us!

08/22/2026

Our History. Our Stories. Our Museum.

Take a journey through the history of the Iosco County Historical Society Museum—a place where our community’s stories, treasures, and memories are preserved for generations to come.

Press play and discover how the museum became a cherished keeper of Iosco County’s past.

LARGE TIGER OAK FRAMES WITH GLASS ~ All yours for a donation to the museum. They are in great conditionContact us here o...
08/21/2026

LARGE TIGER OAK FRAMES WITH GLASS ~ All yours for a donation to the museum. They are in great condition
Contact us here or call 989-362-8911 Thur to Sat 11 to 3. Or email [email protected]

LARGE PEG BOARDS ~ All yours for a donation to the museum. They are in great conditionContact us here or call 989-362-89...
08/21/2026

LARGE PEG BOARDS ~ All yours for a donation to the museum. They are in great condition
Contact us here or call 989-362-8911 Thur to Sat 11 to 3. Or email [email protected]

08/19/2026

🎬 WHEN THE MOVIES FIRST LEARNED TO TALK IN TAWAS CITY… 🍿

A note from Iosco County Historical Society: Most of us know this location today as G's Pizzeria in East Tawas. 🍕 But i...
08/18/2026

A note from Iosco County Historical Society:
Most of us know this location today as G's Pizzeria in East Tawas. 🍕 But if you stood on this very spot back in 1948, you'd have found something completely different!
This busy corner was home to Northern Dairy and a Sinclair Service Station—two businesses that kept East Tawas running.
🥛 Northern Dairy supplied local families with fresh milk, dairy products, and even featured a soda fountain where you could stop in for a cold drink. The storefront proudly advertised "Jumbo Sodas – 15¢!"
⛽ Next door, the Sinclair Service Station fueled cars heading north and south along US-23. The station featured gasoline pumps, service bays, tires, and automotive repairs, with the familiar Sinclair dinosaur welcoming motorists.
❄️ Behind the station stood an ice storage building, a reminder of the days before refrigerators were common in every home.
This photograph captures a fascinating moment in East Tawas history—a thriving commercial corner that has continued serving the community for nearly 80 years, even though the businesses have changed.
Today, that same location is home to G's Pizzeria, where friends and families still gather—just for pizza instead of gasoline and milk!

Address

405 W Bay Street
East Tawas, MI
48730

Opening Hours

Thursday 11am - 3pm
Friday 11am - 3pm
Saturday 11am - 3pm

Telephone

+19893628911

Website

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