By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
CASSOPOLIS – Cass County Historical Society has a hit on its hands with the first Harvest Fest Oct. 12.
The event replaced a traditional Christmas open house at the Newton House in Volinia Township between Dowagiac and Marcellus.
It was usually bedeviled by winter weather, where Harvest Fest enjoyed sunny, 80-degree temperatures as well as colorful autumn foliage.
President Marilyn Fry said 127 people signed the guestbook and deposited $220 in donations for what was offered as a free outing -double the amount typically collected for the holiday open house.
Historians served punch, cider, cookies, doughnuts and Halloween candy and toured 125 people through the woods on a flatbed pulled by a tractor – five trips.
"We'll do it again," Fry announced Tuesday night.
Harvest Fest falls on the second Sunday in October, which in 2009 is the 11th.
Historians' October meeting was a field trip to the Edward Lowe Foundation in Penn Township.
The society voted to have its four officers serve as a board of directors for new non-profit requirements.
The Nov. 18 meeting was the last until Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, at Cass District Library, which will be the annual "show and tell" where everyone brings a relic to share with its story.