'Beer, Brats and Bands' Plans Move Forward

Details are still being finalized but the date is set for the 's second annual Beer, Brats and Bands at the Barn party: noon to 11 p.m. Sept. 17 at Preservation Park.

Historical Society members met Monday to review the event's flier and talk about how much food to order. Ticket details are still being worked out.

The first party, held last fall, raised about $3,500 for the society, which is more than any other fundraiser in recent memory, board members said. Society member Gregg King said Beer, Brats and Bands at the Barn "might well outgrow Preservation Park … my goal is to make this bigger than the Summer Beer Festival in Ypsilanti."

The beer and brats party was just one of many topics covered during the meeting of Historical Society members King, Phyllis Redfern, Ronni Curtis, Dave Curtis, Bill Tesen, Rick Barker and Erin Strand.

Ronni Curtis reported that membership is up to 131, which includes 53 lifetime members.

Strand told the group that organizers of the society's fashion show planned for Aug. 21 needs more wedding dresses and models.

She said a more pressing need is for volunteers, particularly docents willing to work at the Canton Historical Museum when it is open for public visits on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The society also has a new Facebook page, which had attracted 34 fans as of Monday evening.

Strand said officials have invited the society to use a new scanner the library recently purchased. Society members discussed creating a formal agreement with the library to cover the rules of use for the documents' scanned images; the matter will be discussed again at a future society meeting.

Dave Curtis said his recent genealogy research trip to Salt Lake City was fruitful; he returned with 50 to 60 Canton deeds. He said he continues to seek information on the Walker Farm School, which appears in census records from 1920.

"Nobody seems to know about it," he said. "It could be the old Walker Tavern."

To learn more, visit the Canton Historical Society's web page.