Not far from downtown and the main traffic circle on Michigan Avenue is this beautiful home. It's…read morevery striking and should be part of any architectural tour that you might make of Marshall. It's not open for tours but you can see quite a lot of it from the outside. The marker reads: "Erected in 1843, this house is among the oldest in Marshall. It came to be known as "Hillside", a named derived from its prominent location. The house was designed in the fashionable Gothic Revival style. Its architecture and landscaping were likely influenced by the design for a "Cottage in the English or Rural Gothic Style" in Cottage Residences, a popular book of house plans by landscape gardener Andrew Jackson Downing that was published in 1842." And on the other side, "This house, built for local attorney Henry W. Taylor and long owned by the Schuyler family, was also home to Mary "Mazie" Miller (1871-1941) and her husband, Craig. An outspoken suffragette and Republican political activist, Miller was an early president of the Michigan League of Women Voters. She resided here from 1905 until her death. During that time, Miller hosted many political luminaries, including future U.S. president William Howard Taft, as well as state legislators from Lansing." [Review 11101 overall, 874 of 2019.]

This is the largest Underground Railroad Sculpture in the United States and stands 14 feet high and…read more28 feet log. It shows Harriet Tubman (aka "Black Moses") and Erastus and Sarah Hussey (local "conductors") as they lead a group of runaway slaves to safety. From a nearby marker, "From the 1830s to 1861, thousands of slaves in the southern United States courageously escaped northward to freedom on what became known as the Underground Railroad. Along this secret network, conductors... took great personal risks to ensure the safety of escaping slaves." Commissioned by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation to honor the men and women who operated the Underground Railroad, as well as courageous fugitives who fled north to freedom. The bronze monument was created by Ed Dwight of Colorado in 1993. If you're looking for a good photo, morning would probably work better for the angle of the Sun than evening when I went. [Review 11054 overall, 827 of 2019.]

What a cool place to spend a couple of hours. On a whim we stopped to check out the the Sharp…read morefamily farm and view the art gallery they had on the property. The tour of the house was guided and it was just two of us and the guide. The guide had a wealth of knowledge and we appreciated what she had to say about the house and the Sharp family. One interesting and impressive fact, their well was inside the house. This way they didn't have to go out in Michigan winters to get their water. My daughter is a big fan of old homes especially Victorian style homes. While it's a Victorian style house it also had Italian influences in the structure. The art gallery had a World War I exhibit (100 year anniversary), sculptures and a quilt exhibit.

I thought "Free Museum Day" at Ella Sharp would be a nice treat. What a joke. First, I stopped by…read morethe gift shop to buy a little trinket for my grandbaby, but they don't even take cash. What kind of museum doesn't accept cash? Are we living in the future or something? The real disaster was trying to see the actual Ella Sharp house. There was a woman standing guard at the door who looked like she'd lost a fight with a highlighter her hair was the color of stale piss. She was clearly having a terrible day and decided to take it out on anyone with a baby. When I approached with my stroller, she huffed and puffed and snapped, "We're trying to limit strollers, so you can leave it with me." Excuse me? Leave my grandbaby with you? I don't even know you, lady, and based on your attitude, I wouldn't trust you to water a plant. Calm down, Stephanie Swift, you're a museum guide, not a prison warden. I wasn't asking to bring in a pack of wild dogs, just my sleeping grandchild. The whole experience left me wishing I'd just stayed home and saved myself the aggravation.

I don't think that it's a mistake that many of us find cemeteries as whole dark and gloomy. Tree…read moreheavy cemeteries that seem to be in perpetual shadow seem so depressing. Often the care they receive are minimal, with narrow two track dirt paths and stonework that is in disrepair and grass that has been inexpertly maintained. Which is probably why I find visiting the Fort Custer National Cemetery to pay respect to the departed heroes I have met in my life a celebration of what is good and decent about this country. The national cemetery is an amazing place that honors our deceased Vets. It is exceedingly well maintained, it is open to the sky, and it's a place that we drive to at least twice a year to remember those who have left this plane of existence and to leave stones on their graves to let others know their loved ones have not been forgotten. (And I do wish that our vets were as carefully cared for before they passed, but I suppose that's another review.)

I am always moved to tears when I visit Fort Custer National Cemetery not just for my family…read moremembers who are resting here but for all those families and soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice. My parents survived Nazi occupation and immigrated to the U.S. in 1951. The one day my mother never forgot was the day the Americans liberated The Netherlands from Nazi occupation. Thank you to all who have given all!

Battle Creek's other library branch, this is quite the amazing structure. High exposed wood beams…read morebaffle the noise and the sound so that you can quietly sit, study, read and enjoy the library. Organized stacks of fiction and non-fiction and reference materials. Two dozen or so workstations available. Several study tables with power outlets. An excellent wifi system. Plenty of parking. Late hours in the week and weekend hours. You BC people are fortunate to have this superior resource. [Review 11098 overall, 871 of 2019.]

I'm disabled and widowed and for the most part I feel safe in Birdland however there havebeen times…read morethat I'm walking to the gas station its 3 blocks one way and the boy across the street runs out and scares me. I have opened my door to look at a strange vehicle possibly dumping another animal at the end of my street and this boy across the street yells obscenities at me and calls me the B word. Just wondering what I can do to keep this harassment at bay. They have been up against my home scanning debit and credit cards and on my property! What rights do I have anymore? I've have my flagpole ripped off my fence on my property. It never seems to end. I've watched this person destroy their own mailbox more than once. Nobody is home watching this person with clearly alot of issues. I'm not leaving here. My husband died in my home. I just wish people weren't so hateful and would be more helpful to others. I would never do or say these things to my neighbors. I didn't know that people can't be civil anymore regardless of how you voted. People would appreciate someone looking out for them instead of always having to have their head on a swivel. My property taxes have tripled here and I didn't vote for that. My street has never been fixed so where is all that money going? I sold my vehicle lastyear because I knew I couldn't afford it anymore, my groceries get delivered. I'm gonna keep praying for my neighbors that God gives them wisdom and direction. I'm a legal CPL holder and I'm gonna protect me and mines 24/7. I know you do your best and I'm grateful. Somebody somewhere is taking their last breath here on earth. I count my blessings everyday. Thanks for all you do.

My experience with the department has been very positive. Special thanks to officer Grumhaus who…read morewas very kind and professional in helping me deal with a scary situation.

Great little post office! Important for us who live in the land of no Internet and still pay bills…read moreby writing out a check and putting it in the mail! Helps keep identity theft down when you're not on the Internet! Closed from 11:30-12:30 for lunch. Open until 3 pm

Though it's small, it has everything in a compact space: lounge area, private tables, free DVDs to…read moreborrow, graphic novels, public computers, etc. Everything was arranged in a nice, clean, organized layout that works and doesn't feel crowded but utilizes the space and area effectively. It was hard to find at first but they do have restrooms, small but clean. They also had activities and calendar of events showing that it is an active library. The people working here were very friendly and accommodating, ready to help. I've come here to study and this small library has much to offer. Great for families and people of all ages.