MHM Collection


The Heritage Machine shop	3 part steam whistle from the Stewart Hartshorn factory

Kids of all ages like to watch the flywheel spin.	Our 3 part ( Mailbox) whistle under steam, it is loud.

Heritage Machine Shop

The belts connect the Corliss Valve steam engine to the early 1900's machine shop equipment. This gives our visitors a look at how many industries in the 19th century and early 20th century ran their machinery using these overhead line shafts. We have a 1888 "Shepard" Lathe, a 1910 "South Bend" Lathe, an "Oliver" Die Filer, a "Sibley & Ware" drill press, Band Saw, Grinder, a "Ferracute" Punch Press and a "Boyton & Plummer" Shaper all running from the line shaft.

Video description of the line shaft

Thanks to C. W. Marsh Co., Norm and Maureen Campbell, Fred Wilder and Alcoa Howmet for major Contributions to this exhibit.

Dake Square Piston Steam Engine

This Dake engine was built in 1917 in Grand Haven, Michigan and sold to the Ford Motor Company for their Saw Mill in Pequaming Michigan. It is a model 3 1/2 designated as a 7 horsepower engine.

For more information click here.

Our Print Shop office features two working Letter Press Printing Presses and the related equipment for a print shop. This includes metal TYPE (letters, numbers and other characters) and many other tools, printers would use.

During your visit we might be printing with the foot operated "Chandler and Price" press that came from the Hackley Manual Training Building. You may also see the "Kluge" powered press in operation or we may be cutting paper on the large "Challenge Machinery" cutter.

The Heritage Printing Co.

Be sure to get your book mark printed on this press, free at the print shop.

This exhibit features some of Muskegons Historic Homes. These include photos of the inside and details about the original owners of these private residences.

Take a Walking tour of Heritage Village

Check out the details at the museum then grab a walking tour brochure and stroll the neighborhood to see them up close. The walk should take about 45 minutes.

Historic Homes in Heritage Village

This plaque is awarded to homes in the Muskegon area with Historic Significance. To be awarded one of these plaques you must submit a request to the MHA. The Historic Homes Committee reviews the request and will tour the outside of the home to see that is meets the criteria set by the MHA.

We have a list and photos of all these homes as a exhibit in the museum with photos and a map available, so you can see the outside of each one.

If you would like a list of the homes that already have a plaque see the Heritage Homes link to the left on this page.

The Muskegon Brewery 1877 - 1957 was located on Brewery Hill (present day Coles Bakery). The Grand Rapids Brewery 1935 -1946 bottled beer in that location. Then Goebel bottled beer there from 1946 - 1957.

Did you know that Muskegon was one of only two places in the USA that bottled Guinness Beer.

Muskegon Brewing Co.

Exhibit designed by Anne & Allan Dake with donations from Ray Hilt and Elmer Ogg.

VanVoorthuysen Iron Works

This exhibit has photos and other items from the original Iron Works on 3rd street including an anvil, large vise and forge. These were donated by Ray VanVoorthuysen and when you come to the Museum you may be able to meet Ray who owned this shop. He stops in to volunteer from time to time.

VanVoorthuysen Iron Works contributed several items to this exhibit.

We have a large map of Muskegon Lake showing the location of the 46 Saw Mills that were running at one time.

We have added this model of a saw mill, so you can see how the logs were cut into lumber. There are many logging tools and photos for you to see.

Exhibit is the work of Dave Dawes & Allan Dake

Lumbering in the Muskegon Area

Hand Wood Working

Here we show many of the hand tools woodworkers use.

We have two foot powered tools; a Barnes #2 Velocipede Scoll Saw , and a Shipman Engine Co. lathe / scroll saw that is treadle powered. This is a working exhibit with saw dust and wood chips being made from time to time.

Exhibit is dwesigned and constructed by Allan Dake.

Arch Miller assisted with this exhibit and the exhibit includes donations from Whitehall Products and Century Forge.

Foundries of Muskegon

Here you will find photos of 12 of the Foundry Businesses in Muskegon since 1900. Many more are mentioned in the framed foundry list on the wall.

To the right you can see a few of the many tools used in a small foundry including, drag & cope, sand mold, match plate, final product after being removed from the sand and some wood patterns .

We recently added a video of the casting process that runs continuously. It is about 3 minutes long and explains the process from pattern to final product.

Pattern Makers made the wood patterns for the castings in the local foundries. A recent donation of Harold LeTarte's Pattern Makers tools in a large wood display case has led us to an exhibit of Pattern Makers, what they did and the tools they used. This enhances our current foundry exhibit as you can't have foundries without pattern makers.

Tri Cast, Pyle Pattern, Anderson Global, the Dake, LeTarte and Lundquist familes have all donated items for this Exhibit

Pattern Makers

The Occidental Hotel

There are many interior and exterior photos in this exhibit from the many years the Occidental served visitors and residents of Muskegon. The Display case is the original Candy Shop display case, included inside you will find a candy box, glassware, straws and other items from the candy shop. We also are displaying dishes and other items from the dining room which are on loan. We have several items from the Occidental Barber shop including the revolving sign and one of the barber chairs.

We are looking for other items from the Occidental Hotel let us know if you have Hotel items you could donate to the museum.

The Genral Store in Whitehall donated the Occidental Barber Chair. Ray Hilt has lent us several items for this exhibit.