It’s really one of our favorite places to cover a story. Why? Well, quite selfishly, it’s literally two minutes from the house, so the travel time to the site is really a breeze, but the much deeper purpose is the deep and rich history of the area, the people and the changes over the years in the Twin Lake area. What was once all “Dalton” has changed and evolved over the years. Going back generations, it wasn’t always the rather sleepy lakeside area that it is today, with homes built into the landscape and a quiet, rural community. The Twin Lake Historical Society is a live and working body that strives to preserve all that. Works so hard in fact, that the second edition of the Twin Lake History Book has gone into publication! It’s been since 1976 since the last one was put out. Jahel Nolan and Ann Scott join me for the story.
Walking in, you can tell instantly there’s plans for a party coming up soon. Everything in the Twin Lake Museum is turned inside out and upside down. We actually moved into the church sanctuary to have a talk, because Ann and Jahel were cleaning and dusting every nook and cranny in the place. On July 18th they will have an open house along with the release of the new book. It’s a pretty deep dive according to Jahel and Ann who’s work along with the rest of the Twin Lake Historical Society generally takes a much more vintage approach to their research than jumping on some AI platform and asking. Phone calls, picture requests….asking friends and neighbors to get into the attic and dig out old photos and records. Asking around to find out who knows who and where they might be able to find some more info. Someone there even got me, wanting some pictures of the old cottage that stood where we now live. It’s a lot of work.
That work then goes into the same process that any book would. Editing, proof reading….out loud, in a group more than a few times, printing, binding and then getting ready to be sold! Cash only please…there’s no card reader in the building. There are however plenty of family heirloom items…photos of residents and business that once stood….old buildings, rickety looking bridges and hand made boats. Band shells that once entertained people on the shores of the lake and in the new book, the stories of those who live here and made it all pop. It’s a labor of love and preservation of community….which is truly important….and if you’ve not noticed, it’s the same thing we’re doing right now, every single day. (Hidden secret about our work….it’s an Easter Egg buried in the context).
There’s also some early rumblings of something that might need to take a little bit more of a push. The Twin Lake Museum is housed in the Twin Lake United Methodist Church. The congregation is small and the church itself, it’s a major piece of history. Not only for the area, but as a building itself. It’s 144 years old, and it’s going to need some help. Painting the church is a much needed maintenance project that will be coming up soon, and that will need some more hands all pulling on the rope. We’re going to stay in touch with the Historical Society and the Church to see what the plan is and also try to help gather up a community movement to get the project done. Stay tuned.
Don’t miss the open house coming up July 18th from 1p-4p. You can CLICK HERE to follow the Twin Lake Historical Society on Facebook! You’ll get all the details of the event as well as enjoy their shares of pictures and memories of a time that was a little more innocent….a lot less hectic and a place we all hold in our memories as “the good old days”.
