navigation to townships
in KENT COUNTY

Ada
Algoma
Alpine
Bowne
Byron
Caledonia
Cannon
Cascade
Courtland
 (Rockford)
Gaines
Grand Rapids
Grattan
Lowell
 (Lowell City)
Nelson
 (Sand Lake)
Oakfield
Paris
 (Kentwood,
 E.Grand Rapids)
Plainfield
Solon
 (Cedar Springs)
Sparta
Spencer
Tyrone
 (Casnovia,
 Kent City)
Vergennes
 (Alton Village)
Walker
Wyoming
 (Grandville,
 Wyoming)

CITIES:
Grand Rapids
Rockford
Cedar Springs

oakfield museum

The Oakfield Museum at 11009 Podunk Road is under the direction of the Oakfield Township Historical Commission of seven township residents appointed by the township supervisor with approval of the township board. The Commission meets at the museum at 10:00 a.m. the third Thursday of April, June, August and October. Others interested in the museum and history of Oakfield township are encouraged to attend the meetings.

Besides museum operation, the Commission also identifies historic sites in the township. Thanks to the Kent County Road Commission, a sign has now been placed at the site of the Oakfield Center Mill just south of the museum on Podunk Road. The mill was built in 1864 and was the center of much activity until the 1950s, as farmers brought their grains to be ground, catching up on the latest news as they waited. Three generations of the Jones family operated the mill during its heyday. The mill was removed in 1997 when the dam had to be rebuilt.

The building that houses the museum was originally built in 1901 by the Ancient Order of Gleaners for its meeting hall, then purchased by the township in 1931 to serve as the township hall until the new hall was built on M-57 in the 1980s. Several unique items once stored in a hidden cabinet may be the only such Gleaner artifacts still in existence.

The Oakfield Museum closes for the winter and reopens the first weekend of May for the annual “Spring Into the Past” tour of small museums sponsored by the Tri-River Historical Museum Network. Most of the member museums/historical societies are open that weekend from 11 am to 5 pm Saturday and 1 to 4 pm Sunday. After that, the Oakfield Museum is open from 2 to 4 pm the fourth Sundays of June through September.

Everyone is encouraged to visit the Oakfield Museum to learn more of the local history and perhaps help with its operation. For more information, contact Sharon Bouck, 616-754-4553.

Content of this page provided by Oakfield Museum

home | databases | about this project | about wmgs