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Second Saturday Pastimes
Come to the Provencal-Weir House, c. 1823, on the
Second Saturday of each month during the Grosse Pointe
Historical Society’s complimentary open-house tours from
1 to 4 p.m. and enjoy a tour and a fun, brief history les-
son! All ages welcome, children must be accompanied by
an adult.
January 13 Winter School Days
Enjoy hot cocoa and
homemade cookies and learn about Grosse Pointe school
days of old. Treat yourself to a one-room schoolhouse
experience in circa 1900 with Bill Schwedler.
February 10 Make your own Victorian Valentine
and learn
about the special love in the Provencal family while
enjoying raspberry tea and chocolate cakes. See romantic
artifacts of the 19th century including a beautiful wedding
dress and valentines of old with Cyndee Harrison.
March 10 Mardi Gras Tour with New Orleans jazz, celebrat-
ing our French roots.
French roasted coffee and beignets.
Learn about the French Habitants of old Grosse Pointe
with Amy VanHecke.
April 14 Life on the Ribbon Farm
Learn about the old
Grosse Pointe Ribbon Farms. Learn to make butter and
biscuits from scratch and enjoy homemade lemonade with
Marguerite Humes.
May 12 A May Day celebration of old.
Learn about
Maypoles, May dances and May celebrations of old Grosse
Pointe with Cyndee Harrison.
June 9 All Things Vernor’s!
Boston Coolers, Cream Coolers
with Marguerite Humes, author of
300 Years of Detroit
Cooking.
July 14 Old Time Photos
Wear your own costume or use
our dress-up closet and sit for an Old Time Photo in the
Provencal-Weir House, c.1823. Suzy Berschback photogra-
pher. We will e-mail you your photo! By appointment.
August 11 Feast of St. Clare
Celebrate the anniversary of
the naming of Lake St. Clair. Re-enactors show us how
the voyageurs survived in early Grosse Pointe at a mini-
encampment with Paul Ignagni and friends.
September 8 Learn all the local lore of St. Paul’s Cemetery
and who is buried there while enjoying black tea and
spooky treats with Amy VanHecke.
October 3 Celebrate, learn about and sample
300 Years of
Detroit Cooking
with author Marguerite Humes.
November 10 Legends of the Fall
Re-enactors share
traditions, legends and ways of life for Michigan Native
Americans of early Grosse Pointe with Paul Ignagni
and friends.
December 8 Christmas Tea and Tour
Learn about
Christmas traditions of old Grosse Pointe. Peppermint tea
and special homemade gingerbread boys! Learn how the
Victorian’s celebrated the season with Cyndee Harrison.
✃
Clip and Save!
Cook Schoolhouse Saved for Posterity
continued from front page
The schoolhouse was built in 1890 on 1/3 acre of land
owned by the Cook family. It was one of Grosse Pointe
Township’s first public schools. Members of many of
Grosse Pointe’s founding families sent their children
there including the Cooks, the Beaufaits, the
Trombleys, the VanAntwerps and the Bryses. At that
time, it was not uncommon for families to have up to
six children attending the school at any one time.
The building was used as a school until 1922. After the
school closed, the building served as home of the
Salem Lutheran Church, the first home of the Grosse
Pointe Symphony, a music studio and a residential
apartment. Alan bought the building in 1967 and he
has maintained it for modern day use while preserving
many of the structure's original elements. The original
windows exist as does the bell in the front tower which
still works.
Cook Schoolhouse today
The purpose of the
Grosse Pointe Historical Society
is to preserve and promote the history of
the Grosse Pointe Community.