Baumgartner House - Built in 1875

I recently visited one of the oldest homes in Fraser Michigan; the Baumgartner House established in 1875.  This home is now a museum and an official Michigan Historic Site.  This is a great site to see a bit of the past without having to travel to Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan.  A lot of students from the area visit this home for research projects for school.  This was my first visit.  I was greeted by volunteers who happily shared some of the history about the home.  They displayed some wares that were for sale to raise money for the renovation and up-keep of the home.  As I walked through the home I realized how small it was and how tough it may have been to raise a family in this size of a home.  We have it so lucky now.  The tour guide noted that all of the family gatherings for meals and get togethers were in the dining/kitchen area.  This was also the area where they took their baths.  This area was convenient because the stove was there to warm the water for the tub.  The front sitting area of the home was for special occasions, guests and for funerals.  The bedrooms were very small and used mostly for sleeping.  No luxury of a master suite. 

The exterior of the house was made of brick.  I was told that the construction was done so well that the house will stand for many years to come.  The house includes many antiques from the time period to show what things were used in their daily lives.  A lot of the items have been generously donated.  It was well worth the trip.  I probably spent less than an hour and felt very welcome there.  Plus, the tour was free.  Can't beat that!

 The house is located at the corner of Masonic Avenue and Kelly Road in Fraser Michigan and can be visited on the first Sunday in every month, January, February and July excluded, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm for FREE.  Special tours can be set by calling 586-294-6633.  I'm told that the gardens look great in the summer!  I will have to go back.

Books for Free??? - Yes, Borrow Them!

THE FRASER PUBLIC LIBRARY

The Fraser Public Library is conveniently located off of 14 Mile between Utica and Hayes.  The library seems to be one of the main hubs for the city.  The library hosts many events, which you can find on their website, for adults as well as children.  They have authors visit to talk about their books, highlight different events in history as well as special event and craft days for the holidays.

Another event, which I attend religiously, is their used book sale!   I love looking through retired books, videos, and magazines from the library itself or from patrons that have donated them for the benefit of the library.  There is actually one scheduled for this month; March, 26 2011 - April 1, 2011.  (March 26th is preview day and there is $1.00 entry fee.  Don't worry though, there is always plenty if you don't want to go on the first day!)

Did you know that you can also get museum passes from the library with your library card?  They have a substansial list of museums and historical buildings that participate in the program.  I personally visited the Eleanor and Edsel Ford House with the benefit of the passes.  There's no guarantee how long they will be providing this, so take advantage of it if you can.

I love going to the library to review a new book first, for FREE, before I decide if I want to buy it or not!  (love that!)

The library also has tax forms.  There is a large table filled with the most commonly used forms for free.

Also, patrons have access to the internet, rental of CDs, DVDs, books on tape and magazines.  Did you know that you can also reserve a book online and pick it up at the library at a later date?  Also, you can reserve books from other libraries in the network and have them sent to the Fraser Library for you to pick up too.

 

The Pioneer Cemetery lies behind the parking lot of the library parking lot.  It was established in 1864.

This butterfly chair sits just outside the main entrance to the library.


A visit to the library is quiet, educational, beneficial, free and can be fun!  When was the last time you were there?

Take A Trip To The Market!

Schott's Market in Fraser Michigan

16659 14 Mile (between Utica & Garfield Roads)

Let's Go To The Market!

I've heard a lot about Schott's Market from others in my office.  So, I decided to visit myself and see what all of the excitement was about.  As I walked in, I felt like I was in a local, small-town market to get my groceries for dinner that night!  There was a small produce section that led down the aisle to the deli and meat counters!  Now this is where the action was!  Such a selection, and everything looked so fresh.  Nothing was packaged in plastic.  The meat and salads were out, looked fresh, and made me hungry!  At first, my eyes caught the different types of salads in the deli section.  As I turned the aisle, I noticed the over sized portions of  shish kabobs!  In my opinion, one skewer would be enough for 2 people!  What a selection of beef, hamburger and chicken too.  Schotts's also caters and is willing to listen to new ideas or requests to stock items that they might not have!  They also carry the normal canned and dry goods within the store as well as a good selection of liqour and wine.

They are located on 14 Mile Road between Utica Road and Garfield Road.  Even though my visit was short, I got to experience the personal touch that I feel the owners are trying to portray.  It was just a pleasure to visit to the store!  I am anxious to try some of the meat and deli items in the future too!  I am curious to hear your experiences.

Shooters Bar & Grill for Lunch?

Yummy is all I have to say after trying the Pulled Pork Sandwich with barbeque sauce at Shooters Bar & Grill in Fraser Michigan today!  Great Menu with the usual chicken strips, hamburgers, salads and pizza and the portion size was pretty good!  The bar & grill also includes TV screens around for watching the game.   I noticed drink specials and a private room for special parties as well!  Very conveniently located on Utica Road just south of 15 Mile!  Great atmosphere to stop in for lunch, watching the game, a quick beverage or dinner.  Worth a try!  They open for lunch at 11:00 and are very busy during game days!  I also noticed keno for us gamblers!  They also have a beautiful mural of Comerica Park and Ford Field.  Good atmosphere, good food and good prices!  Can't beat that!  Let me know what you think or your experience was.   :)

Fraser Singers Perform "Rock This Town" at 2010 Cabaret

FRASER HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR

Magic 105.1 is holding their 'Magic Glee Club Contest' for all area High School Choirs/Glee Clubs/Choral Groups.  Well, Fraser High School submitted an entry and is now one of the top ten finalists!  You can head to the radio station's website at www.DetroitMagic.com and click on the Glee Club contest to vote for Fraser High School!  The voting ends on November 12, 2010.  Online voting will account for 49% of the vote and the final ten will also be performing on November 13, 2010 in front of a panel of judges whose vote will account for the other 51% of the vote.

The November 13th performance will be at the Stautzenberger Institute at 16630 Southfield, Allen Park, Michigan.  I have provided a copy of the Fraser High School video below for you to see!  Just to make it into the top ten is an accomplishment that the kids will always remember!

The winner receives:

$10,000 for their school's program
A Recording Session at Harmonie Park Studios
Will Perform at the Tree Lighting Ceremony on Campus Martius Park
                                      
I am sure that they would appreciate your vote!  Good Luck!

U.S. Honor Flag at Fraser City Hall

There was a ceremony for the flying of the U.S. Honor Flag in Fraser Michigan on September 17, 2010 at the City Hall. This was the first Michigan visit of the flag that was flown at ground zero during the events of September 11, 2001.

The U.S. Honor Flag flew during the recovery efforts at ground zero in support of our heroes who died as a result of the 9/11 attacks on our nation. The U.S. Honor Flag has traveled with The Honor Network since then across the nation to remind people to never forget.

See a brief video clip of the event below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJToTx7-G7I