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The Old Rugged Cross Museum
Exit #153 has been a favorite stop for us on the way to Michigan’s North Country as it is home to a Mac Donald’s, Burger King, roadside produce market and a gas station.
Recently I noticed the Old Rugged Cross Museum was open and decided to pay a visit. I wasn’t sure what to expect once I walked thru the doors, but I soon learned that the museum is actually the Reed City Museum.
The building is divided into three large rooms. The first room is focused on home life in and about Reed City in the early 1900’s. Displays center on various rooms in a home at that time, with replicas of a dining room, kitchen, etc.
The second room is focused on the work life in the Reed City’s area, with old farming tools, shop tools, displays of the logging era, and equipment from an old Reed City cottage cheese factory. Of added interest is some old firefighting equipment from the 1930s, including a fire truck.
The third room is full of mementos of Reverend and Mrs. George Bennard, who in 1913 wrote a that is still popular today, The Old Rugged Cross.
The part of my short visit I appreciated the most was the volunteer staff, two warm friendly women who enjoyed their work as the caretakers of the museum. The next time you’re at Exit 153, it may be a nice welcome rest stop from the trip. Certainly better for you than a Big Mac, fries and a shake.
Admission is free, but donations are accepted
