Benzonia Academy Lecture Series: “Lumber Era Ghost Towns Of Benzie: Gone But Not Quite Forgotten” Presented By: Jerry Heiman

“Lumber Era Ghost Towns Of Benzie: Gone But Not Quite Forgotten”

Presented By:  Jerry Heiman

Thursday, May 9th, 7:00 P.M.

The Mills Community House And On Zoom

In The Late 1800’S, Benzie County Was Filled With Short-Lived Villages Built Around Large Sawmills.  This Is The Story Of Two Of Them, Averytown And Edgewater, On Opposite Ends Of Big Platte Lake.  We’ll Learn How And When They Began, Who Lived There, Their Life, And How The Towns Disappeared.

Jerry Heiman is a graduate of Albion College, the University of Michigan Dental School, and the University of Michigan Hospital Residency program.  He served in the US Army Dental Corps from 1966 to 1969 and practiced Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Midland, Michigan, from 1972 to 1998.  He has been a Platte Lake property owner since 1977 and became a full-time Benzie County resident in 1998.

Jerry was first elected to the Benzie Area Historical Society Board of Directors in 2007, was Secretary from 2014-2021, and served as President from 2022-2023.  He also serves as a member of the Executive, Buildings & Grounds, and Programs & Community Outreach committees.  Jerry has been a tour director for Museum-sponsored historical walking, bicycle, and bus tours.  He also penned “One Hundred Years Ago,” a column in our local newspaper, for more than a decade, and writes articles for our newsletterHeiman serves on the Platte Lake Improvement Association Board of Directors, on the advisory committees for Benzie EMS and Benzie Bus, and River Care Committee of Conservation Resource Alliance.  He also delivers meals for Benzie Senior Resources.

This presentation, part of the Benzie Area Historical Society’s Benzonia Academy Lecture Series, is open to all.  It is held on the second Thursday of each month; admission is by donation, making it accessible to everyone.  We recommend a donation of $ 5, but any amount is appreciated.