"Zeeland Memories" - November 8, 2019

On Friday, November 8, the Zeeland Historical Society hosted the monthly School Bell Series at the New Groningen Schoolhouse on Paw Paw Drive in Zeeland.

 

Ken Kolk interviewed Dorothy Voss with sixteen people in attendance. Dorothy talked about how the Zeeland Historical Society secured the rights to republish Randall Vande Water's 2004 hardcover book, "A Walk Through Time," a photo journey with 300 classic Zeeland pictures and narrative text. 

 

Dorothy also talked about the newest "Landmarks of Zeeland" panel, which explains the history of downtown Zeeland. The panel is located by Public Restaurant at 131 E Main Street in Zeeland. She is planning on a new one involving maps.

 

LOOKING BACK: The new panel is the third one created by Dorothy. The other two are located in two sections of Vande Luyster Square - one by the gazebo (northwest corner) and the other by the obelisk (southeast corner).

 

Dorothy was asked about her history and she talked about her years as a social worker in Traverse City, her life raising children in Zeeland, the start of the Zeeland Historical Society in 1974, and the city’s Dutch connections in the Netherlands. 


LOOKING BACK:

This picture was taken around 1974 in the recently-acquired home of Dirk and Leuntje Dekker. The scene shows the dining room of the home as viewed from the parlor.

 

Two gentlemen from the State Historical Society examine the future Dekker-Huis Museum with Mary Jane Vander Weide (left), Dorothy Voss and Wilma Veldheer on the right.