People will be invited to enjoy the natural autumn beauty of Russ Forest — and learn the history of some of its earliest settlers — next month, during the Cass County Historical Society’s annual Harvest Festival.

The event will be from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1, at the historic Newton House, 20689 Marcellus Highway, Decatur. Visitors will have a chance to enjoy a guided or self-led tour of the house, as well as listen to live music, take a stroll through the nearby Newton Woods on a tractor-pulled hayride and enjoy some light refreshments.

The Harvest Festival caps off the season for members of the Cass County Historical Society, who host tours of the Newton House once a month throughout the summer. The festival has been organized for decades, originally taking place during the Christmas season before the society moved it to the fall, due to the milder weather conditions this time of year.

“It’s an opportunity for people to come out and see the house, and enjoy some entertainment at the same time,” said Sue Wilder, a member of the society and one of the organizers of the upcoming event.

The Newton House was originally built in 1870 by George Newton, the son of Cass County pioneer James Newton. It has been under the stewardship of historical society since 1974, when the Cass County Historical Commission began leasing the historic home from Michigan State University, which was using the structure as housing for its foresters working at Russ Forest.

The society has turned the house into a museum that showcases historical artifacts from the area, dating back to the mid-1800s.

“I’ve been out to the house more times than I can count, and I still learn something new every time I visit,” Wilder said.

One of the things that visitors enjoy most about the house is its cupola located above the third floor, which provides a spectacular view of the forest, Wilder said.

For the Harvest Festival, the house will be decorated with pumpkins from Dowagiac’s Jason Sprague, with Sprague’s Pumpkin Patch.

In addition to tours, members will be serving donuts, cookies, apple cider and other refreshments, including fresh apples from Dowagiac’s Bartley Farms. At the same time, area musicians George Purlee and Bev Smith will perform inside the parlor area.

Outside, Joe Van Tuyle and Mary Marko will lead visitors on a hayride through the forest behind the residence, which will allow people to experience the beauty of sights and sounds of the fall, as the leaves inside the forest begin their autumn transformation, Wilder said.

“Everything will be offered for free,” Wilder said. “That is the best part about it. This is our gift back to the community, for their support of our organization.”

For more information, people may contact the Cass County Historical Society at (269) 684-0882.