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Save the Date
6th Annual, Huckleberry Hustle 5k Trail Run and Walk
Thursday, July 9, 2009

Enjoy a rustic run through Crossroads Village's maintained backwoods trails. The trail run ends at the historic 1912 Parker Carousel where you can hear the "happiest music on earth" as you take your free spin on the carousel, enjoy a cup of delicious berry lemonade and munch on a tasty berry muffin. (more info)

 


Save the Date

Ladies' Night Out: Shopping and a Sneak Peek at Christmas at Crossroads Holiday Magic
Monday, November 16, 2009

Come and experience Ladies' Night Out for a shopping experience that cannot be duplicated in a mall or big box store!
(Click here for more info)

 

Save the Date
Country Tea
November 28 December 5, 12, 19 and 26, 2009.

A Country Tea is something of a cross between a formal sit-down function and a buffet because you are offering hors d’oeuvres-type finger foods in an elegant, seated environment. Crossroads Village’s Country Tea experience is filled with old village charm and is a true, historic Country Tea. Time: 10 am to 12 noon and 1:30 to to 3:30 pm.

(click here to order online)

 

Lessons from Grandma's Cedar Chest

The ladies in the village spent long winter evenings quilting bed covers, weaving baskets and crocheting coverlets, and volunteers are eager to teach these traditions to you! You’ll find craft supplies and kits for purchase in the Village, too.

Collections and Candies

Kids love the Huckleberry candies they can purchase at the Attica Hotel Gift Shop. Collectors enjoy the large selection of turn-of-the-century reproductions and village memorabilia.

 

Hand-crafted Treasures from the Trades

From grinding grain to making brooms, printing signs to building toys, Crossroads Village is buzzing with skilled men and women who demonstrate the trades that were so essential to village life one hundred years ago.

Many sell their wares right in the workshop, like the iron fireplace tools and dinner bells crafted by the village blacksmith, and the brooms and brushes for purchase at the Fenton Carriage Barn and Broom Shop.

You’ll find toy trains and puzzles made by our toy craftsmen at the Durant Toy Shop. And you can select original designs printed by our 1860s printing press in the Manwaring Building and Print Shop.

Crossroads Village and the Huckleberry Railroad are located just North of Flint. Follow I-475 North off I-75 or I-69 to Saginaw Street – Exit 13.

Click Here for Driving Directions

If you are coming from the I-475 exit 13, please go north on Saginaw Road to Mt. Morris Road. Turn right (east) onto Mt Morris Road. Follow Mt. Morris Road to Bray Road. Turn right (south) onto Bray Road. Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad will be approximately 1 1/4 miles on your left-hand side (east) at 6140 Bray Road, Flint.  FREE PARKING!

For road construction in this area, please click here.

 

 

 

 

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Take Home a Keepsake

Like the small towns of the last century, visitors to Crossroads Village will find a well-stocked general store and post office, plus shops that specialize in everything from candy and kitchen towels to pretty dishes and flour ground at the Village mill.

Shop at the General Store and Village Post Office

The shelves of the General Store reach nearly to its 12 ˝-foot ceiling, and they’re filled with many of the same kinds of goods that families purchased in this very store 100 years ago. You’ll find three kinds of flour ground right in the Village at the Atlas Gristmill, plus jams and jellies, candles, kitchen towels and pretty dishes. There’s also a big selection of toys and gifts for every budget, so you can bring a bit of Crossroads



Need postcards, stamps or disposable cameras? Stop next door at the post office and stock up on supplies. Cards and letters sent from here will be stamped with the Village’s own postmark!

Especially for Train Fans

The Train Station Gift Shop is a train-lover’s dream with its bins of train whistles, engineer caps, books and games, and, of course, model trains!

 

Daily Programs

 

May 23 – September 7 ~ Step Back into Time at Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad, Step back into time and participate in an active village where you can help with chores, learn traditional crafting skills and trades, and play the old fashioned way!  There is so much for the entire family to do!  In Crossroads Village efforts to recycle, stop by the Mason Inn and make your own flower pot out of recycled newspaper.  Registration is not required.  Time:  10 am to 5 pm.  Cost:  Village admission.  Contact Kathi Whitcomb with inquiries:  810-736-7100 ext. 856.

 

May 23 – September 7 ~ Children’s Costume Contest, Crossroads Village would like you to dress the part!  Come dressed the old fashioned way, like you are from the 1800’s!  Costume contest is everyday at 1:30 pm at the Salter Cabin.  Come and win a prize!  Registration is not required.  Time:  1:30 pm.  Cost:  Village admission.  Contact Kathi Whitcomb with inquiries:  810-736-7100 ext. 856.

 

May 23 – September 7 ~ Daily Chores, Lend a hand with the following chores: butter churning, sewing, gardening, clothes washing, and more!  Registration is not required.  Time: 10 am to 5 pm.  Cost:  Village admission.  Contact Kathi Whitcomb with inquiries:  810-736-7100 ext. 856.

 

May 23 – September 7 ~ Stanley School Program, Join us for some old fashioned classroom learning!  Take part in lettering writing for the pony express, participate in one of five classes throughout the day, enjoy your lunch with the school madam or join in for some recess fun!  Registration is not required.  Time:  various times throughout the day.  Cost:  Village admission.  Contact Kathi Whitcomb with inquiries:  810-736-7100 ext. 856.

 

May 23 – September 7 ~ Farm Life, See how the farm life was in the 1800’s by visiting Crossroads Village farm house.  Watch the farmers milk the cow, feed the chickens, wash clothes, help with the gardening, and learn about butterflies and hummingbirds.  Registration is not required.  Time: 10 am to 5 pm.  Cost:  Village admission.  Contact Kathi Whitcomb with inquiries:  810-736-7100 ext. 856.

 

May 23 – September 7 ~ Children’s Crafts, Children of all ages join us at the Stanley School to participate and enjoy crafts.  Decorate a container to plant a seed in, or participate in one of the many other crafts we offer.  All your’s to take home!  Registration is not required.  Time: 10 am to 5 pm.  Cost:  Village admission.  Contact Kathi Whitcomb with inquiries:  810-736-7100 ext. 856.

 

May 23 – September 7 ~ Pony Express, ”The mail must go through” is the motto of the original pony express.  Come to Crossroads Village and see our pony express travel through the village.  Write letters at the school house to any one in the village; drop it off at the General store, and everyday at 3:45 pm, watch for River or Rain, our miniature horses deliver mail, the Crossroads Village Pony Express way.  Registration is not required.  Time: 10 am to 5 pm.  Cost:  Village admission.  Contact Kathi Whitcomb with inquiries:  810-736-7100 ext. 856.

 

May 23 – September 7 ~ Old Fashioned baking, Come enjoy the sights and smells of old fashioned baking at Crossroads Village.  No matter what day of the week it is, someone is baking in the kitchen!  Whether it’s the Buzzell house or the Eldridge house, it always smells like home cooking in the village.  Registration is not required.  Time: 10 am to 5 pm.  Cost:  Village admission.  Contact Kathi Whitcomb with inquiries:  810-736-7100 ext. 856.

 

 

Please be advised that Crossroads Village and Huckleberry Railroad's 2009 4th of July weekend dates were incorrectly stated in the Parks promotional materials as July 4, 5, and 6. The correct 4th of July weekend dates are July 3, 4 and 5.


Always Family Friendly!

May 23-September 7, 2009

Wednesday thru Sunday & Holidays - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

6140 Bray Rd., Flint, MI 48505


One Hundred Acres,
One Hundred Years of History!

The Attica Hotel at Crossroads Village

Imagine a place where the air smells like fresh pressed apples and wheat straw, and you can count on the train whistle to tell you when it’s time for lunch.

Close your eyes and feel the smooth-worn wooden sidewalks that lead past Mrs. Eldridge’s house where cookies cool in the open window. Hear the hammer of the blacksmith making shoes for his horse. Listen for the music of the Parker carousel and the laughter of children playing outside the school house.

 

This is life as it was a century ago in the small towns scattered across Genesee County, a time of ice cream socials, general stores and herb gardens by the kitchen door. This is Crossroads Village today — 35 historic homes, barns, shops and trades buildings moved from around Genesee County to this quiet clearing at the edge of Mott Lake where, once again, they have an important role in village activities.

Sit a spell and listen to the musicians gathered on the porch of the Attica Hotel. Try weaving a rug and churning butter. Catch a live variety show at the opera house, and then enjoy a ride on Mott Lake aboard the paddle wheeler, the Genesee Belle.

Come spend the day at Crossroads Village and discover why our grandparents loved to talk about the good old days!

 


It is Morning in Crossroads Village
 

Tiny plumes of smoke rise from the boiler at the Master Cider Mill and drift silently over the wooden walks and dewy grass. Down the street, a woman walks among her gardens gathering flowers in her apron and waves to the gentlemen at the sawmill, who are turning huge logs into planks. There’s a game of checkers just starting at the barbershop, and musicians backstage at the opera house are tuning up their voices for the first show of the day.

 

The century-old grinding stones at the Atlas Mill are turning wheat into flour for the day’s bread, while a little girl learns to crochet and her mother admires a hand-made quilt. Eager passengers slide onto their seats in the wooden coaches of the Huckleberry Railroad as the conductor calls out, “All aboard!”

 

Most of the 35 buildings here were moved – brick, board and stone – to this magical place at the edge of Mott Lake. Many came from just a few miles away. In this peaceful setting, they have been preserved, furnished and put back into use, so you can experience first-hand what life was like in a small village in Michigan in the late 1800

All Aboard!

Experience the “modern” way travelers moved across the county and the country in the early 1900s when you climb aboard the narrow gauge Huckleberry Railroad. The 40 minute ride takes you through scenic woods and meadows and alongside beautiful Mott Lake.

It’s an authentic journey back to a time when huckleberries grew alongside the track and the coaches, with their etched glass and leather seats, offered a bit of elegance for travelers as they rolled through the countryside.

The railroad's collection of cars includes 11 original and replica wooden coaches, a classic red wood caboose, and two restored coal-fired steam locomotives buit by Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia.

Engine #464 was nicknamed the Mud Hen and originally carried miners to Colorado on their quest for gold and silver. Old timers tell us that huckleberries grew alongside the track and as the train clattered slowly through the countryside, passengers could jump off, pick a handful of huckleberries and hop back on board!

Just think... the seat you choose might be the very same one occupied on a warm summer evening a lifetime ago by a rowdy cowboy, a lavishly dressed society lady, or even a U.S. Marshal!

Around and Around You Go! Wheeeee...

Pick your pony and hold on tight! This herd of handsome hand-painted wooden horses and exotic dragon chariot will carry you back to a time when small-town audiences eagerly awaited the arrival of traveling shows, and the familiar tunes of a band organ filled the air on warm summer nights. Come experience the same exciting ride on this Charles W. Parker carousel that has been delighting families since 1912.

 

This is the only place in the world where you’ll find two side-byside Charles W. Parker amusement rides restored and ready for you to enjoy! Step onto the 1912 carousel and hold on tight! Its herd of handsome hand-painted wooden horses will carry you back to a time when the familiar tunes of a band organ were carried into town on the slightest breeze and signaled one of the most exciting events of the summer…the traveling show had arrived! Just next door, step into a gondola on Parker’s 1910 “Superior Wheel” for a breathtaking treetops view of Mott Lake and Crossroads Village.

Your little ones will enjoy old fashioned fun when they ride the Mott Lake Flyer, Venetian swings and pony carts. These colorful vintage amusements offer plenty of pint-sized pleasure!

 


Spend a day in the Village


Experience life as it was in the early days of Genesee County. Talk with the villagers here who run the shops, grind the grain, dust the parlors, press apples for cider, and do scores of daily chores that were all part of early village life. You’ll spot them easily. They are dressed in the long skirts, aprons and overalls you would have seen around these parts in the late 1800s.

 

Work Alongside the Tradespeople

Try your hand at turning cream into butter. Draw water from a hand pump so it can be used to wash clothes and water flowers. Be a printer’s apprentice and set type on the hand press. Work with wood that was cut at the Village lumber mill.

 

Kids Love Our History Programs

The Village offers daily summer programs just for kids so they can see, touch and taste history and learn about the lives of pioneer children. At 1:30 every day, we hold a costume contest for kids who come to Crossroads dressed as a villager.

The Genesee Belle at Crossroads Village

The Genesee Belle

There’s a surprise waiting for you at the Village dock…the beautiful Genesee Belle! She’s a replica of the paddlewheel riverboats so popular during Mark Twain’s time, and you’re invited on board for a 45- minute excursion around Mott Lake throughout the summer and on weekends during Ghosts and Goodies in October.

You’ll enjoy cool breezes and scenic views of Bluebell Beach and the wooded shoreline. It’s likely you’ll spot great blue herons and other wildlife that call this area home. The Belle also offers lunch and evening cruises in the summer, and she can be chartered for meetings and special occasions. Many a happy couple has been married on the Belle! The lower level is enclosed and climate controlled for your comfort. For more information call the reservation office at 800-648-PARK , ext. 6.
or click here.

Summer Train Departures:
May 23 - 25, 30, 31 and from June 6 - September 7:
Weekdays (Wed, Thurs, Fri): 12:00, 1:00, and 4:00
Weekends (Sat & Sun): 12:00, 1:00, and 4:00

On selected and busy days additional trains may be added.

Genesee Belle Village Departures:
Not available until May 23
Departure times from May 23 to September 7:
1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00 Departure times exclude Wednesdays in July:
Every Wednesday in July departures are: 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00
July 4th there will not be a 1:00 departure due to the parade
During out Day Out With Thomas Event there will be an additional departure of 12:00

 

Download
Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad Brochure

See a map to the Village

See a map
of the Village

Download a PDF guide to the Village buildings
You'll need the free Adobe Acrobat viewer. If you don't have it you can download it here

Download Acrobat here 

 

Authentic Reenactors at Crossroads Village

Do you want to get awa
y...

...and enjoy quiet walks down old time country streets? Do you like taking part in the daily activities of years ago?

Then I have just the place for you. It’s close to home, it’s affordable, and you can come back time and time again and forget about life’s little worries for a day. Come visit historic Crossroads Village and the Huckleberry Railroad. Stroll the boardwalks and visit the many historic buildings carefully restored to preserve a piece of our past. Visit quaint shops, and catch our recently-launched old time radio variety show that broadcasts live from the opera house.

As fall arrives enjoy our month-long celebration of Halloween. Then come see the sparkling display of lights when we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Christmas at Crossroads. My family makes Crossroads Village a must visit every year.

Folks young and old keep returning to experience life as it was in the late 1800s, to explore a village delightfully stuck in a time when butter came from the neighbor’s cow and grain for bread was ground at the local mill. Laughter comes easily here, and entertainment is as close as the checker board at the barbershop.

Want to get away? Come to Crossroads Village in the heart of Genesee County, where you can get away right away. Consider purchasing an annual pass for unlimited admission to the Village. We think it’s one of the best deals of the decade!

Welcome. And Welcome back!

Joe Krapohl
President,
Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission

Get info on Overnight Fun Packs

The Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission has taken great care to enhance the accessibility of Crossroads Village and Huckleberry Railroad with its dirt roads and uneven boardwalks by offering free of charge, on a first come, first serve bases, a limited supply of conventional (non-electric) wheelchairs. If a wheelchair is needed it is recommended that you bring your own especially on busy weekends.

Handicap Accessible

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Genesee County Parks & Recreation Commission

For Information and Reservations call:
1-800-648-PARK or 810-736-7100
(extension 6 for reservations)
Email: Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission  Fax: 810-736-7220
We accept all major credit cards.

Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission
5045 Stanley Road    Flint, Michigan   48506


Hours, admission rates and programs are subject to change