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- Historic Bowens Mills "Celebration of Spring"
- Highlights Oldtime family fun
- The third Saturday in April "The
Celebration of Spring" will Feature; Horses Plowing the fields, Sheep
shearing demonstrations, Horse Drawn Rides, and Live Farm & baby animals,
along with Springtime Photos, from noon to 5.
- Bowens Mills is pleased to have Jerry
Pepper as our sheep shearing demonstrator. Jerry, from just north of
Allegan, Michigan and has been doing sheep shearing for more than 20 years.
This is a rare opportunity to watch a master craftsman demonstrate his art
and technique. He has adapted his own technique from the New Zeeland and the
Australian sheep shearers. He has demonstrated sheep shearing all over the
state of Michigan, for school groups, libraries, nursing homes and even in a
shopping mall.
- See the demonstrations and the skills of
shearing that will give you a glimpse and understanding of the hard
work and skills of days gone by during "The Celebration of
Spring at Historic Bowens Mills".
- There will be young animals displayed in
the old fashion atmosphere of the Bowens Mills Gathering Place. See the new
baby chicks, & bunnies inside the
gathering place.
- Bowens Mills Studios photographer Carleen
Sabin will be on hand to take your springtime digital children’s and family portraits. Portraits taken with or without live
bunnies. Photo CD's are $25.00.
- There is no Admission fee to the Gathering
Place for "The Celebration of Spring". Tickets into the park are $5.00
for adults and $3.00 for children 12 and under. Each visitor to the
park receives a free horse drawn wagon ride with their admission. Historic
Bowens Mills Celebration of Spring! Old Fashioned Plow Day, Co-Sponsored by
Bowens Mills Studios. There will be several teams of draft horses & plowing
demonstrations though out the day. with Old Fashioned Barnyard Horse pull
following.
The
19 acre Historical Park now consists of :
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1864 Grist & Cider Mill
The
antiquated four-story building’s main floor houses a
working Water Powered
Cider Mill
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1840’s
two story Plank House,
the oldest house in Bowens Mills
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1850’s One Room School House,
moved to the mill, the oldest one room school house
in Barry County
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1860’s 11 room Victorian House
built by the Bowens
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A Post & Beam Barn, home of Belgian
Draft Horses and many other farm animals.
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A Quaint Covered Bridge
crosses the Old Mill Stream
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17 foot Water Wheel completed in 1999
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“Ye Ole Craft Shoppe”
an artisans woodworking and coopers shop
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“The Bowens Mills Gathering
Place” a huge Arts & Entertainment
Center for displays, social events, meetings,
conferences, & performances plus a Gift and Antique
Shop
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“Fork River Trappers Trading Post” A
Log Cabin that was completed
in 2002
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"Granny's
Kitchen" Restaurant prepares
Hot Apple Dumplings with Ice Cream, warm Donuts,
Chili, Hot Dogs, Baked Beans, Potato Salad and
drinks.
Cider by the glass or by the gallon
are also obtainable.
● "The
Saw Millers Cabin" down by
the Old Mill Stream
● "Line Camp Cabin"
located near the "Trappers Trading Post
The Yearly
Calendar Consist of:
Celebration of Spring :
The third Saturday in April Live Baby Animals,
Horse Drawn Rides and Spring Photos Open - noon to 5
(no admission fee to Gathering Place) Admission to the Park $5.00 adults
and $3.00 children 12 and under.
Festivals &
Special Events:
Saturdays & Sundays Noon to 5 pm
It's Cider Time Festivals:
3 Great Festival Weekends of Old
Fashioned Family Fun that include: First Cider Pressing, Steam & Gasoline
Engine Show, Mountain Men Encampment, & Civil War Days.
End of
Sept. thru Mid Oct. - Gate Fee $5 adults $3 Children 12 and under
It's
Christmas at the Mill: (no admission fee o the Gathering Place)
Opens after Thanksgiving
Sat. & Sun. till Christmas with Fresh Cut Trees, Photos with Santa and
Horse Drawn Hay Rides. (Free Family Rides with purchase of Christmas
Tree) We are into making family memories here at Historic Bowens Mills
and we hope that you will join us.
School and Group Tours
with horse drawn rides are also available. (Group Leaders, Teachers,
and Clubs may call for special tour arrangements.) Historic
Bowens Mills also offers private parties, family gatherings and small
group tours, the opportunity to create your own “Choose your Adventure”
package. Your package can include choices of wonderful memories like horse drawn rides or snacks by the fire, along
with some of your own ideas to make your party or event "personalized"
and of your own special choosing. Wedding
packages, Company Picnics, Family Gatherings
are also available. Meetings and private parties are offered on
the grounds or in any one of the historical buildings.
Historic Bowens Mills is an
1864 Grist Mill and Cider Mill. It is a working museum that still
grinds and sells fresh corn meal through the use of water-powered mill
stones. It is a second generation family-owned and operated state
historic site with no state or county funding. The restorations and upkeep depend
upon It's Cider Time Festival gate fees, special events and donations.
The "It’s Cider Time Festival" gate fee for adults is $5.00, Children
12 and under $3.00. Thank you for your support in helping us
preserve history for future generations.
- The Old & Majestic Mill
is located Midway between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. Near Yankee
Springs (Gun Lake) State Park in the heart of beautiful Yankee Springs
Township, Michigan where people come often. Because - from the first
explosion of colorful wildflowers in the spring to the refreshing
coolness of summer to the fall extravaganza in red and gold to the
stark beauty of snow-covered trees in the winter - each season provides
visitors with a completely different pallet of awesome natural beauty.
- We hope you’ll take the time to enjoy all that there is to see and to
do Bowens Mills. Some find the quiet of the historical park a
welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Others
draw energy and inspiration from the outdoor experience. But all who
come here are enriched in some way by the magnificent beauty of nature
and history when they visit.