GRATIOT COUNTY HISTORY TO BE FOUND ON FACEBOOK
By Elizabeth VanDyke
[private]If you grew up in Gratiot County, or even if you are new to the area, and are interested in the county’s history, there are many resources online. One of the best, surprisingly, might just be Facebook. There are quite a few pages and groups dedicated to the county’s history on the popular social networking platform. They are usually started and administered by one or two persons, but quickly become places for like-minded people to connect, sharing ideas and memories. Some of these sites have as many as 5000 active members.
Elmer Johnson, who moderates the popular Facebook group called “Alma, MI, Will Always Be Home,” with fellow administrator David McNeill, shared a few hints about navigating the sites. Anyone can join a public group, but if it is private the request to join must be approved by a moderator. Once you become a member, you can comment on existing posts and usually can also start a new one. New posts, however, often must be approved by the group’s administrator.
Elmer also explained that the sites are carefully monitored for posts and comments that could be considered to be offensive. For example, most sites do not allow advertising or selling products and services. Other things that could get a user in trouble are hate speech, political commentary, or bullying. According to Elmer, one of the most common rule violations is the use of all capital letters in a post. Writing in all caps on social media is the equivalent of yelling at someone in real life. Violating the established rules could get you banned from the site, temporarily or permanently. So, make sure, when you join, that you read the rules carefully and understand what is acceptable before beginning to comment or post.
There is often some behind-the-scenes work that goes into getting a nostalgic picture or other bit of memorabilia available on Facebook. Elmer and other administrators conduct research in old newspapers and other historical documents for ideas for new posts. They look at the posts that get the most attention via “likes” and comments to understand what kind of items people want to see. They try to make sure that what is posted is relatable to the members. Elmer says that anything that is nostalgic as well as historical is popular, especially places that are no longer around. Newberry’s in downtown Alma is one example, as is the A & W drive-in restaurant which was once located on Michigan Avenue. School memories are also popular topics. All of the site’s welcome posts and pictures from members, so if you have old pictures or other items tucked away, a Facebook page is a great place to share them with other people who are interested in Gratiot County history.
In addition to the page about Alma which is administered by Elmer and David, the following pages and groups are available. For general information about Gratiot County, try “Gratiot County Michigan Genealogy,” “Gratiot County Time Machine,” or the “Gratiot County Historical Museum.” Most of the communities in the area have a page or group which is dedicated to information specific to that area. These include the “Ashley Michigan History Museum,” “Elwell, Michigan,” “History of Fulton Public Schools,” “Ithaca, Michigan and our memories,” “Riverdale 48877/Elm Hall 48830,“ and “Sumner, Michigan.” Breckenridge and St. Louis each have a site for their historical societies: “Breckenridge/Wheeler Historical Society” and “St. Louis Area Historical Society.” The two towns also have sites that are more general: “If you grew up in Breckenridge, Michigan, you remember…” and “If you grew up in St. Louis, Michigan, then you remember…”
Joining one of these Facebook groups can provide more than information about the history of county. You can interact with people who have similar interests, share memories, and even renew friendships from long ago. To participate you need, first of all, a Facebook account. Once you have that in place, you can locate a page or group by typing its name into the “Search Facebook” bar. Information about joining should pop up. Read the rules for members carefully and submit any information that is requested. There may be a wait time while your account is approved. Once you are a member, sit back and enjoy reading, learning, and commenting about Gratiot County history. [private]