DOWAGIAC — Sept. 24, will hold manly memories for Leon “Andy” Anderson.

It is the date he saw an official Michigan Historic Marker unveiled by numerous members of organizations. It was also the last day, Anderson was officially the owner of the Criffield–Whiteley House, after calling it home for the past 38 years.

Although Anderson has passed the home at 601 Main Street Dowagiac onto the new owners, Matthew and Allexia Money, his work to obtain a Michigan State Marker will continue to impact future generations.

A crowd of Dowagiac residents and community members gathered on the lawn of the Criffield–Whiteley house to watch as the state marker was dedicated and officially unveiled.

To commence the dedication, Jeremiah Jones, a first sergeant of the U.S. Army led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Mayor Donald Lyons spoke at the event, recalling when he and his wife, Joan, purchased their home around the same time Anderson and his wife, Jane, purchased the Criffield–Whiteley House.

“It is such an honor for me to see how these old homes have truly come to represent all that’s good about Dowagiac,” Lyons said. “When we lose an old home, we’ve lost so much. … I’m really proud of what Andy and his family have accomplished, and what is going to now happen with another generation to come.”

Steve Arseneau, the director of the Dowagiac Area History Museum, said federal and state markers do not happen in a vacuum and programs that oversee the markers require funding, regulations, staff and other resources with the leadership from elected officials.

Representatives for Congressman Fred Upton, State Senator Kim LaSata, and State Representative Aaron Miller congratulated Andy on his achievement and the new marker.

The Michigan Historic Markers program began in 1955 and continues under the direction of the Michigan Historical Commission and Michigan Historical Center. Tom Truscott, a commissioner of the Michigan Historical Commission, helped dedicate Dowagiac’s newest marker. He read a passage from “Traveling Through Time: A Guide to Michigan’s Historical Markers,” a book written by Laura Rose Ashlee.

“Although one could think that marker applicants look back, I think they look to the future,” Truscott read. “In fact, the marker is about the future. It’s about continuity, education and fostering understanding for what people experience as they build lives, community, industries and a nation.”

At the unveiling, components of the Criffield and Whiteley’s lives were represented at the dedication, including Marilyn Cobb, a former regent of the Samuel Felt Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution of Cass County. She held the end of one ribbon in honor of Ethel Whiteley, who started the DAR in her home nearly 100 years ago.

A representative of Leader Publications, the current owner of the Dowagiac Daily News, Harry Whiteley. He was the owner, publisher and editor of the Dowagiac Daily News from 1915 to 1955.

Anderson and the Moneys joined the group to help pull four ribbons to unveil the marker, which was officially dedicated by Truscott.

Arseneau, who said he has been in Dowagiac for 21 years, met Anderson five years ago.

“A couple years ago I met Andy when he stopped into the museum to talk about his work getting this historic marker plate secured,” Arseneau said. “It was good to finally meet the guy in the big green house down by the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Since that time, Andy has gotten to be a great supporter and friend of the museum.”

Anderson, standing in front of the marker, shared stories of the past owners of the Criffield and Whiteley House.

“One of the things that has drawn me to this house was that [the Criffields] built this home with the use of the stones that are the foundation coming from their farmhouse in Silver Creek Township,” Anderson said.

The Criffields built the home in its location because their son, Lloyd, was finishing a one room school, and they wanted him to go to high school in Dowagiac. Lloyd died two years after the house was built, Anderson said.

The Coxes had five children, and the Andersons had three children — all boys. The first boy of the house was Lloyd Criffield. The second boys of the house were Hal and Arthur Whiteley. Anderson’s three sons, Timothy, Joshua and Dale, were all raised in the home.

“This house was built for a boy, considering of the 13 children raised in the house, 11 of them were boys,” Anderson said.

Another point of interest for Anderson was that Harry Whiteley was appointed to the Michigan Conservation Commission by Governor Fred Green. Green was Anderson’s great-grandmother’s first cousin.

Lastly, Anderson welcomed William Money, the son of the new owners, up to the marker.

“In honor of the boys of this house,” Anderson said. “William, you are the new head boy of this house. You have fun, enjoy it. But, do try to protect it as best you can.”