(Port Sanilac, MI – January 3, 2022) The Sanilac County Historical Society (SCHS) has been offered the historic Bark Shanty/Aitkin House (BS/A House) in Port Sanilac. The owners of the home wish to have it moved to the Museum grounds so they can build something more modern on that property.
And they’ve agreed to donate not only the house, but also $12,000 towards the effort to move it to the Museum grounds!
But this will be a very costly undertaking for the Sanilac County Historical Society (SCHS), with costs totaling approximately $100,000. And you may know that the SCHS is already involved in the “Hop on the Troop Train” project, which was committed to before the BS/A House was offered.
The Troop Train project also has a price tag of $100,000. Plus, the Historical Society has already agreed to build a much-needed storage building in 2022, which will stress their available savings.
So, the SCHS will need to lean heavily on the community to support the BS/A House project if it is to happen.
The SCHS board of directors has agreed to cover $25,000 of the costs from savings. That obviously leaves them $75,000 short, and that’s where the community comes in. The Historical Society has started a pledge campaign in an effort to raise the remaining funds needed for this project.
With a pledge campaign, donors commit to donating an amount they’re comfortable with. That’s it for now, just a commitment. But this will be extremely helpful in gauging the interest in the community for this project.
If/when they raise $75,000 in pledges, they will then begin collecting the actual donations.
Unfortunately, if they are unable to raise $75,000 in pledges by February 1, they will be forced to pass on this opportunity.
If you find value in preserving the Bark Shanty/Aitkin House and moving it to the Museum, please make a pledge here: https://fs12.formsite.com/gxZYoN/9hcpcgxcai/index.html
If the pledge campaign is successful, the SCHS plans to rent out the BS/A House, Airbnb style. The 3-bedroom, 1 bath house would be perfect for family vacations, weekend getaways, overnight stays for brides & grooms, etc.
The big, beautiful porch, that wraps around two sides, and that will have a lovely view of the Museum grounds, will be perfect for entertaining, intimate rehearsal dinners, wedding and baby showers, or even for business meetings.
These rentals would give the SCHS much-needed recurring revenue that could be counted on year after year to help support the maintenance of the Museum and grounds.
The BS/A House has important historical significance to the area.
BARK SHANTY:
In the early 1800’s, lumbermen came to the area to peel bark from Hemlock trees to use in tanning leather. They built a bark shanty for shelter, which was basically a lean-to.
The point became known to mariners because the lumbermen kept a huge fire going at all times that was clearly visible from the lake. This shanty became a landmark to sailors on Lake Huron and they called the place Bark Shanty Point.
The BS/A House was built in 1853 on the site of that original bark shanty. It is the oldest home still standing in the Village of Port Sanilac and has always been viewed with particular affection by the locals.
WILLIAM AITKIN (and a Croswell connection):
William Aitkin (11.16.1860 – 4.26.1927) was born and grew up in this home in Bark Shanty, before it was renamed Port Sanilac. In 1883, William married Hattie Jenks and adopted her four-year-old son, Melvin Jenks.
William Aitkin studied law in his spare time, passed the bar, and opened a law office in Carsonville in 1889, in partnership with Croswell native, John Farley.
Around 1894, the Aitkins relocated to Croswell and Will practiced law there until about 1920. He was one of the leading citizens of Croswell.
Croswell’s library opened in the early 1900’s, and after Will died, his wife and son honored his memory by presenting the city of Croswell with a fund to expand and designate the William H. Aitkin Memorial Library, which was dedicated in March 1931.
Hattie Aitkin left a trust to the library in her will to be used only for the purchase of books. Each year, the library uses the trust’s interest to expand its collection.
The Aitkin family continued to maintain their small cottage (the BS/A House), Will Aitkin’s birthplace, just north of the Port Sanilac lighthouse.
If you find value in preserving the Bark Shanty/Aitkin House and moving it to the Museum, please make a pledge here: https://fs12.formsite.com/gxZYoN/9hcpcgxcai/index.html
The Sanilac County Historical Society thanks you in advance for your support of this important project.
The Sanilac County Historic Village & Museum is located at 228 S. Ridge St. (M-25) in Port Sanilac.
More information is available by calling the office at 810.622.9946, or on the Museum’s Facebook page at “Sanilac County Historic Village & Museum”, and online at www.sanilaccountymuseum.org.
