As of late, the newsroom has been busy writing stories for not just the weekly paper, but also upcoming special sections like the one featured about cherries in this week’s edition. Next, we have a section on all things wedding related and then our SILVER series following shortly after.
This year, one of the wedding stories I’m working on focuses on the beauty that is the wedding dress, and the history it holds about the families that once lived here decades ago.
I had the opportunity just this week to sit down and talk with Leelanau Historical Society and Museum (LHS) Executive Director Kim Kelderhouse about the wedding dresses and other artifacts they have related to the celebratory occasion. The nonprofit preserves, shares and interprets the history of Leelanau County and does so through curating and conserving various artifacts, documents, and other cultural objects from the region. Today, the archives collection at LHS contains more than 20,000 artifacts, including a number of items from the weddings of former Leelanau residents. I’m always excited to learn more about the people that came before us and the history there, especially when it pertains to an area that I work and live in, so being able to see these artifacts in-person left me a bit awestruck.
The first wedding dress I saw, a lovely piece adorned with tiny silk bows, bell shaped lace wrists, and delicate lace patterns, left me speechless. Although it was one of the older, worn pieces, it was preserved beautifully and was surreal to see in front of me rather than through a computer screen. The dress dated back to 1904, and was worn by Harriet Greilick when she married Dr. Joseph Slepicka at her parent’s home in Greilickville. According to LHS records, Joseph was originally from Chicago where he practiced medicine until 1903 when he relocated to Traverse City. After he moved to the region, he lived and worked in Leland when he married Harriet, who is the daughter of Edward Greilick.
There’s of course many photos from weddings to look at when you visit the museum as well. One of those photographs we viewed featured former Leelanau Enterprise owners’ Fred and Julia Terry Dickinson standing in front of the Enterprise office in Leland, which houses the Two-Fish Gallery today. The Dickinson’s bought the Enterprise in 1934 and ran the paper, formerly known as “Leelanau Enterprise Tribune,” before and during World War II. Julia married Fred on July 25, 1942, and her wedding dress was brought in and used as part of the museum’s previous wedding exhibit. The dress being tied to Leelanau Enterprise history was an unexpected coincidence and connection I did not expect, but a pleasant surprise nonetheless. When researching and writing about anything, I love coming across small details in a story that highlight the connections that make this county the community that it is.
If you’re looking to learn more about Leelanau’s history and want to see some amazing artifacts and displays, I highly suggest getting in touch with museum staff. It would be so much more difficult to tell these stories without the preservation and research work from organizations like LHS.
