Come Visit the Battle Creek Regional History Museum!

Doug Sturdivant

“We want to develop a museum, where, when you leave, you say, ‘wow!’ and you’ll want to come back,” says Doug Sturdivant, Board President of the Battle Creek Regional History Museum (BCRHM).

A recent tour underscored this overall mission.

The BCRHM is housed in the former Battle Creek Equipment Company, itself immersed in local history, having made equipment used in the former Battle Creek Sanitarium. At its height, the Battle Creek Sanitarium was a world-class health facility run by Dr. John Harvey Kellogg.

Doug was eager to meet me at the entrance of the BCRMH and proceeded to proudly show me around the 49,000 sq. foot facility. The Museum’s exhibit display area will be located within 13,000 sq. feet of the building.

The area immediate to the entranceway holds most of the items currently open to the public. Like an exhibit commemorating the SS Battle Creek, a sea-going vessel commissioned by the Navy during WWII. The ship was one of many “victory ships” that transported material to Europe during the War. 

Right next to this exhibit is a mannequin dressed as an African-American soldier, circa WWII, and a photo of the Tuskegee Airmen, an elite group of African-Americans in the Army who were trained as fighter pilots at the Tuskegee, AL flight school. Doug points out that Oliver O. Miller, who was from Battle Creek, was one of those Tuskegee airmen.

There’s also a large photo of Camp Custer (AKA Ft. Custer), built during WWI as an Army training facility. 

As you round the bend of this area of the BCRHM, you’ll find photos of the Post Tavern, which opened in 1901, becoming one of the premier downtown hotels.

Post Tavern Exhibit

The Post Tavern was built by C.W. Post, founder of Post Cereals, to make up for what he perceived to be a lack of luxury accommodations for guests coming to Battle Creek.

There’s a recorded talk that offers more background on the Post Tavern, featuring the voice of Dave Eddy, (AKA Battle Creek’s “Morning Mayor” heard for decades on WBCK radio). To anyone who grew up in the Cereal City during the 1950s and 1960s, Dave’s voice is instantly recognizable.

Near the information on the Post Tavern are scale models of the Kellogg Manor - the former summer home of cereal magnate W.K. Kellogg. There’s a scale model of Mr. Kellogg’s home in the city as well, which currently stands near downtown Battle Creek.

As you’d expect, there’s memorabilia, mostly advertising panels of cereal boxes, from each of the Big Three cereal makers (Kellogg, Post, and Ralston). At this point in the tour, Doug points out that at one time, there were 101 cereal companies operating in Battle Creek.

Cereal Company Exhibit

Doug is quick to note that the cereal industry spawned in Battle Creek started with cornflakes, for use by Battle Creek Sanitarium patients as part of a healthy diet.

Any history of Battle Creek wouldn’t be complete without mention of Sojourner Truth and the BCRHM offers a good number of artifacts in the exhibit that honors her legacy. Sojourner came to Battle Creek to be part of the Harmonia community, which was located in the current-day Ft. Custer Industrial Park. 

Sojourner Truth Timeline

Sojourner Truth lived in Battle Creek for 26 years before she died on November 26, 1883. She is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery. One of her daughters, Diana Corbin, also lived in Battle Creek and is buried in Harmonia Cemetery in Bedford Township.

Tommy McLeichey, a fifth-generation descendant of Sojourner, donated artifacts and a storyboard that traces the life of his famous ancestor. 

For years, Michael and Dorothy Martich collected stories and artifacts related to Battle Creek’s African-American history. Many of the folders that the Martich’s collected were donated to the BCRHM. (More of the Martich’s archives are available in the Michigan Room of the Willard Public Library.)

Downtown Battle Creek

Along the hallway leading from the main hall of the BCRHM to the Sojourner Exhibit room, there are several historical photos of downtown Battle Creek. Doug says that there are plans to have a touch screen that provides the historical background on some of the more prominent buildings.

A separate 13,000 sq. foot History Education Room holds 90 seats and a stage for various presentations. This area of the BCRHM is already being used for special events, like the sold-out Tales of Christmas Past event, which was a partnership among Union City, Olivet, and Battle Creek actors. 

“We want to build a museum that will continually draw people back,” says Doug. And part of that vision includes rotating exhibits, artifacts, and presentations.

As we walk out of the History Education Center, Doug comments: “We welcome anyone to come to the Museum. We’re very excited about what we’re doing.”

Part of the plan for continued growth includes the establishment of the Battle Creek Regional History Museum endowment fund held at the Battle Creek Community Foundation. Another part of the vision is collaborating with other historical organizations in the area – like historical societies in Albion, Athens, Hastings, Homer, and Union City, as well as the Kingman Natural History Museum and the Seventh Day Adventist village. 

But the diversity and inclusion don’t stop there. “It’s very important to share Native American history along with African-American history of the Battle Creek area,” says Doug. “We need the voices of all of the groups that make up this region.”

Attention to the various cultures of Battle Creek underlines the importance of continuing the remembrance of the regional historical legacy. Of course, education plays a big part of that process. “Young people are beginning to lose sight of how we got our beginning,” says Doug. “We want to work with the schools to provide a place for students to come and learn. They need to understand the history of Battle Creek and the regional area. Battle Creek didn’t form itself on its own. Battle Creek’s history is a regional history.”

As we are winding down our tour, Doug mentions, “Being a regional museum is very important. And collaboration is too. Each town’s story may be different, but it’s still important!”

Battle Creek Historical Mural

Doug finishes the tour by taking me outside to view a huge mural, located on the West side of the BCRHM, that depicts Battle Creek in its early manufacturing years. The mural used to be located on the Battle Creek Unlimited building in the Ft. Custer Industrial Park and was donated to the BCRHM. It was completed by Conrad Kauffman in 2008.

Walking back to our starting point at the main entrance, Doug smiles, offers a handshake, and emphasizes, “We are in the process of building a regional museum that will give people a reason to come back!”

The Battle Creek Regional History Museum is located at 307 W. Jackson St. It is open to the public on weekends: Saturdays from 10-5 and Sundays from Noon-5. You can find out more about the Battle Creek Regional History Museum by visiting its website: www.bcrhm.org

Watch Be Scene On Air interview with Michael Delaware.