Ingham County Historical Commission

Home
United States
Mason, MI
Ingham County Historical Commission

Founded in 1971, the Ingham County Historical Commission is the oldest county historical commission in the State of Michigan.

01/25/2026

On January 22, 2026, a special America250! exhibit was unveiled at the Ingham County Courthouse. This display commemorates the semi-sesquicentennial of the United States, marking 250 years since the nation's founding.

The exhibit is the result of a partnership between the Pvt. Ephraim Wheaton Chapter NSSAR, the Ingham County Historical Commission, and the Lansing Chapter NSDAR. Members from each organization actively participated in the unveiling program, demonstrating their shared commitment to honoring American heritage.

Large informational panels are a focal point of the exhibit, telling the compelling stories of Ephraim Wheaton and Martin DuBois. These two individuals are recognized as the only known Revolutionary War patriots buried in Ingham County, Michigan.
Smaller storyboards within the display provide insight into the printing of the Declaration of Independence, enriching visitors’ understanding of this pivotal historical moment.

In the courthouse lobby, frames proudly showcase the names of forty-six Patriots and their descendants from the Lansing Chapter who currently reside in Ingham County. This serves as a tribute to the enduring legacy of those who contributed to the nation’s founding and their lasting impact on the community. This exhibit is open to the public for viewing through 2026.

01/18/2026

See attached Press release regarding the official unveiling of the America 250 exhibit at the Ingham County Courthouse, Thursday, January 22, 2026, at 1:30PM.

01/09/2026

Outgoing longtime ICHC member Craig Whitford installed Ingham County's America 250 exhibit at the county courthouse in Mason on Thursday, January 9. It looks fabulous!

12/18/2025

On December 17, 2025, Cloyce Odell was presented with the 2025 Ingham County Heritage Award. This award recognizes individuals with knowledge about and commitment to Ingham County’s past. It is intended to celebrate and promote achievements that may otherwise go unnoticed.

The 94 year old Korean War veteran received the award at the Williamston Depot Museum where he is an emeritus member of the Museum's Board. Those present sharing the moment with Mr. Odell included his daughters Terri and Lori, Ingham County Commissioner Monica Schafer, members of the Historical Commission, members of the Museum's Board and long-time friend, Paul Tarr, and his wife. Light refreshments were enjoyed.

The letter of nomination shared a brief snippet of Mr. Odell's commitment to historical preservation.

Since 2013, Cloyce has been a frequent poster on a local page of old photographs of the Williamston area. His photos have been reproduced and used in local businesses and at the museum over the years. He adds comments to his postings or responds to queries on Facebook posts, too.

During his time on the museum board, he has offered countless comments, documents and photographs for our archives as we create local history displays. One year, he and another gentleman gave a talk on growing up in the 1930s and 1940s in town, which we recorded for posterity. He has contributed to research by authors, high school students, and has answered questions via email, on the phone or in person. During the Covid lockdown, he participated in an audio presentation created by the Williamston Theatre, (“Strolling Stories: The Fire Tour’), which featured five catastrophic fires in the history of Williamston. Cloyce met the Theatre producer at McCormick Park and gave his personal voice of how he watched the 1938 Williamston Enterprise building burn, along with 60 years of the town’s archives with it.

He unfailingly remembers people’s occupations and religious affiliations, women’s maiden names, locations of long-lost businesses, when asked to recall them to solve a history mystery. In my 20 years of serving on the museum board with Cloyce, I don’t believe he has ever been incorrect about a local history event, or person.

Cloyce has also collected two large, three ring binders of every postcard for Williamston he can locate and also several of Webberville (where he lived for a time), along with rare photos, in an effort to add to our local history. He was also featured in a chapter of Mitch Lutzke's local history book, "Stories from Williamston’s Past,"

Address

315 South Jefferson Street
Mason, MI
48854

Telephone

+15176767200

Website

https://bc.ingham.org/AppointedBoards/HistoricalCommission.aspx

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ingham County Historical Commission posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Mason?