MASON MUSEUM BENEFIT GARDEN TOUR IS JULY 11 -- The Mason Area Historical Society hosts their Museum Benefit Garden Tour every two years. Held on Saturday, July 11, the tour this year features six lovely gardens. The tour hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. MAHS offers its sincere appreciation to the sponsoring Mason Sycamore Creek Garden Club and to the gardeners for their work and participation in this tour, as well as to the many local businesses who help promote and sell the tour’s $15 tickets, which come with the address of each garden and more detailed descriptions.
Tickets are available prior to the day of the event at three locations in downtown Mason: Bestsellers Books & Coffee, Ware’s Pharmacy, and the Maple Street Mall. On the day of the event, they will still be available in those locations, but also at the Mason Area Historical Museum, 200 E. Oak Street.
While cash or check is preferred, debit or credit cards may be used at the donations tab on their
https://masonmuseum.square.site website, with ticket pickup at the Museum beginning at 10:00 a.m. on July 11. The main Museum is usually open on Saturdays from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. but will be open earlier for all visitors on July 11.
“All proceeds from this event benefit the Mason Area Historical Museum and the Pink School Museum, which are maintained by MAHS -- all done with the support of dedicated volunteers,” says Doug Klein, secretary of the Society. Each garden is described more completely on the ticket, which includes addresses of the properties. You must show a ticket to enter the gardens.
MORE 2026 MAHS GARDEN TOUR DETAILS -- All proceeds from this biennial garden tour event benefit the Mason Area Historical Museum and the Pink School Museum, which are both maintained by the Mason Area Historical Society, with the support of dedicated volunteers and the community. The Museum will be open for viewing during this event and museum admission is free. Garden Tour tickets are $15 each. Mason Area Historical Society publications and memberships will also be available at the Museum. For more information, check their www.masonmuseum.org website.
The Mason Area Historical Museum is at 200 E. Oak Street, one block southeast of the Ingham County Courthouse in downtown Mason. The Museum is open 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. each Saturday (except holidays) throughout the year and by advance appointment. The Pink School Museum is at 707 W. Ash Street, one block west of Cedar Street. The one-room schoolhouse is open for tours and classes by appointment. From March through October, the Pink School is open on the first Saturday of each month from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. with free admission.
“The MAHS also extends our sincere appreciation to the dedicated members of the Mason Sycamore Creek Garden Club for their sponsorship of the tour and the beautiful work they do to maintain the landscaping around both of the museum buildings,” says Doug Klein, secretary of the Society.
“Many people start or end their tour at the Mason Area Historical Museum,” says Doug Klein. “Not only can people purchase a $15 ticket there, it’s also a great way to get in a community mood before going off to see the gardens or to top off a great local excursion if the tour is done early.”
One other place to consider for starting the garden tour is right behind the Pink School, that’s where the Mason Sycamore Creek Garden Club has created a learning center where grade-school children, who belong to their Youth Club, can plan, grow and harvest vegetables in raised beds. Water for the beds comes from two decorated rain barrels on the corners of the old school. The Youth Club has its own National Garden Club registered pollinator garden on site, and an organic sunflower circle in which to meet and relax.
The gardeners are all anxious to show off their creativity and hard work. More details and the locations of the gardens are printed on the ticket. Here are some details about the gardens you will see on the tour:
You may start the tour at any time and do the tour in any order, provided you finish by 4:00 p.m. However, soon after you start your tour with tickets in hand, we suggest that an early stop should probably be those located east of Mason.
One such garden features a rainbow of summer favorites featuring over 200 daylilies, clematis, and various ornamental shrubs. It incorporates a summer kitchen garden. Enjoy a leisurely walk through the gardens that the owner calls her “Happy Place.”
North of that garden is a Dansville country property one with over 200 daylilies. The older, and now more shaded gardens, in the back were put in over 30 years ago, one on a hill to prevent erosion. 40 years ago, the home was built on a property that was a corn field. There are gardens around the house, the barn, and a newer garden in the front -- which includes a pathway garden with perennials, shrubs, peonies, iris, hydrangeas, and roses (yes even though deer are an issue.)
Northwest of Mason is an extensive garden that the owners designed with hardscaping. They supervised all of the primary planting between 2000 and 2002. Parts of the property are designed to be in keeping with a country farm, and other portions are intended to refer to English formal gardens. During the construction phase, they planted more than 100 trees and took out nearly that many that were old and diseased, and claimed back from the farmer another five acres in order to build a pond and have more green space.
Since that time, they have added additional flowering trees, and numerous additional flower gardens. The fence and lilies along the front of the property identify it as a country farm. The boxwoods at the raised area in front of the house refer to English or French formal gardens, and to the mazes in English country manor homes. The crab trees to the south of the driveway and next to the barn are our faux orchard.
At the rear of the property the reflecting pool and sunken garden, with its changing display of flowers between April and October, reflect a formal English country style. To the north of the property from the patio is a "long view" also common in English manor homes.
The 1-1/4-acre pond is like a country swimming hole. The area to the north of the white fence on the north side of the property was originally designed as a wildflower meadow, but over time the owners learned that it was too small and too difficult to maintain, so it has been allowed to revert to a wild state for animals, birds and insects.
Closer in to the city, the owners of this next property had a big concern when they moved there in 1978 about how long it was going to take to mow the lawn. They had four or five shrubs across the front of the house and about 20 trees. The rest was an expansive lawn they had to mow. To change that, they started with a small shade garden -- pretty much filled with hostas. Now, due to Mother Nature and disease, some shaded areas are now sunny -- and those gardens are filled with bulbs, flowering shrubs, and other perennials. Yes, the hostas still exist, though. Enjoy annuals, perennials, interesting trees, pots, and garden art as you meander through the garden.
Back in 1985, the owners moved into their house about five blocks from downtown. The small white house on this corner lot now has 250-300 (maybe more) hostas as prominent features. It also has many other perennial plants, rocks, old farm equipment, and other vintage artifacts. The garden is filled with annual flowers to add another splash of color to the surroundings.
The last garden described is right next to Courthouse Square. It was created as a prayer garden in conjunction with the columbarium on the property. It is a small, tranquil area that is pollinator and butterfly friendly with native plant species identified by signage. This garden also includes cascading water over a rock formation that brings a calming effect for visitors. It is a mix of annuals and perennials enjoyed by members of the community that stop by to reflect.
Daughters of Liberty Presentation at Mason Museum July 15 -- As part of the Mason Area Historical Society’s celebration of their 50th anniversary and the America 250 commemoration, there will be a free presentation about the “Daughters of Liberty” at their Wednesday, July 15, 2026, meeting. Following a short business meeting, the patriotic discussion will be held in the Society’s Virginia Schlichter Auditorium beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Mason Area Historical Museum, 200 E. Ash Street. Admission is free and the public is invited.
Drawing both comparison and contrast with the more famous revolutionary group “Sons of Liberty,” MAHS members Cheryl Lariviere, Audrey Martini, and Carolyn Cooper will share information about the role of the “Daughters of Liberty.” The three local historians will conduct a panel discussion on the many roles of women in the colonial period.
Formed around 1765 in response to British taxation, the “Daughters of Liberty” championed independence through economic resistance, successfully enforcing boycotts of British goods and producing homemade items. They organized "spinning bees" to spin their own yarn and weave fabric, ensuring colonies had clothing and reducing reliance on British textiles.
Women boycotted imported tea, popularizing "Liberty Tea" brewed from local herbs -- like goldenrod, and raspberry leaves. By managing colonial households, their adherence to non-importation agreements cut British imports roughly in half between 1768 and 1769.
The organization was loosely defined, encompassing politically active women across all social classes. Sam Adams, a prominent founding member of the Sons of Liberty, was vocal about the importance of women to the patriot cause, reportedly stating, “With ladies on our side, we can make every Tory tremble.”
Prominent historical figures associated with the group include Sarah Bradlee Fulton, known as the "Mother of the Boston Tea Party," who helped plan the event in 1773 and later worked as a messenger for General George Washington. Another identified with the “Daughters” was Mercy Otis Warren, who was a prolific writer and playwright who published political works advocating for independence.
Perhaps the most famous was Abigail Adams. She was a fierce advocate for women’s rights who notably urged her husband, John Adams, to "remember the ladies" in the nation’s new legal code. She urged the future president to protect wives from the unlimited legal power of husbands, warning that "all men would be tyrants if they could".
The Mason Area Historical Society is a non-profit organization that is dependent upon memberships and donations. They ask you to please consider donating to allow events like this to continue to be offered in the future.
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