October 10 & 17, 2026

Honolulu House Lantern Tours

Step inside the Honolulu House after dark for an experience that feels suspended in time. Guests are invited to explore the museum by candlelight. All electric lights will be turned off, leaving the rooms illuminated only by the warm glow of lanterns and the stories shared by your guide.

This is not a ghost tour. It is real history presented in a setting that heightens every detail. The quiet halls, the flicker of candlelight, and the authentic accounts of the people who lived here create an atmosphere that might feel uncanny, but every story is grounded in documented fact.

Two tours will be offered each night at 7 pm and 8 pm. Admission is $20 per person. Each group is limited to 25 guests to preserve the intimate nature of the experience.

October 27, 2026

History Lecture: From Abolitionist Sentiment to Sundown Town

Join us for a presentation by Sara DeSmet as she examines the complex racial history of Marshall, Michigan. Famous for its role on the Underground Railroad and celebrated for the 1847 Crosswhite case, Marshall earned an enduring legacy as an “abolitionist town”. However, in the decades following the Civil War, the local Black population experienced a sharp decline, shifting the town’s social landscape from anti-slavery activism to racial exclusion and unwritten segregation.
Drawing on digitized newspaper archives, local historical collections, and oral histories, including interviews with descendants of the Coleman family, DeSmet explores the paradox between public community memory and historical erasure. This presentation analyzes how cultural practices, spatial containment, and local memory transformed a celebrated haven for freedom seekers into a midwestern sundown town.
Tuesday, October 27 at 6:30 p.m.
Franke Center Downstage Club, 214 E Mansion St
Free for Marshall Historical Society members
10 dollars for nonmembers
A special thank you to The Franke Center for the Arts for providing their welcoming and convenient space for this event. Their support helps make programs like this possible and strengthens the sense of community we are proud to share together.

December 12 & 13, 2026

45th Annual Candlelight Walk

Save the Date for the 45th Annual Candlelight Walk.
Details will be posted here and on Facebook when available.