HERMANSVILLE, Michigan (WLUC) – A Menominee County town celebrated its own history Sunday afternoon.

Members of the Hermansville community gathered for Vintage Day at the IXL Historical Museum.

According to museum president Marilyn Popp, there was a thriving lumber industry in the city about 100 years ago.

“We’re celebrating the way things were back then,” Popp said. “So we changed it up a little bit this year and thought we’d try the Roaring ’20s, just to do something different and get a feel for that era.”

This year’s gathering honored Eugene “Gino” Arduin Jr., who lived in Hermansville his entire life. Popp says Gino was instrumental in the founding of the museum.

“He spent countless hours painting and repairing and making the museum what it is today,” Popp added. “And he recently passed away, so we thought we would dedicate this year to him. Because without him, I don’t think this museum and all the buildings would be what they are today.”

Paul Larson, a volunteer at the IXL Historical Museum, knew Gino well. He says Gino put a lot of work and care into Hermansville.

“That was Gino too, he was a real booster of the town,” Larson said. “He didn’t want history to be lost. When you look at our museum campus here, the reason it looks the way it looks is essentially this one man’s vision for Hermansville.”

All proceeds from Vintage Day go to support the museum’s operations.

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