A significant new chapter is about to be written for both a long-shuttered Three Oaks structure and the community’s deep historic roots.
On Thursday, June 12 at 11:00 a.m., the Region of Three Oaks Museum (TROTOM) will formally accept the donation of a little-known yet highly visible downtown property—7 South Elm Street, a long-vacant building that has quietly stood as a local enigma for decades.
Most residents and visitors have never set foot inside the 1932 structure, but that’s about to change. Thanks to a generous gift from local donor Jim Barkhurst, the building will be transformed into a major expansion of the community’s nonprofit history museum. Barkhurst will be on hand at next Thursday’s “handover” event to officially sign the quit-claim deed transferring ownership to TROTOM, and to share why he felt compelled to preserve this piece of local legacy.
Originally home to the Warren Oil & Gas Company, the building has sat unused since the 1980s. Plans are now in motion to renovate the space for future exhibits focused on the Warren family and their landmark enterprise—the Featherbone Company. Founded by E.K. Warren, Featherbone played a critical role in shaping the Three Oaks economy in its industrial heyday, and helped build the foundation of the town’s identity.
Museum board members will be available during the event to discuss the vision for the new space and how it complements their mission to preserve and present the rich history of Michigan’s Great Southwest.
The Region of Three Oaks Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located at 5 Featherbone Avenue. It’s open to the public Fridays through Sundays, noon to 5 p.m., from May through October. The addition of the Elm Street location promises to elevate the museum’s presence within the increasingly vibrant artist and tourism community of Three Oaks,
