I’m a story collector. I can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon than to listen to somebody’s special memory, the one that says “I was there – I was connected to the big picture.” Best of all I love to hear a new story that connects to one I already have in my collection. It’s like putting together a giant jigsaw puzzle, but one where the pieces move on their own, and the figures in the picture come alive and argue with each other about what’s going on. So I had this brainstorm – wouldn’t it be something to gather the stories of all the people who live in a particular place at a particular time? Not just the famous, or the notorious, but everybody. Why not do this in Torch Lake Township? It is, after all, do-able, as there are not so many of us.
Then I realized that, well, it’s been done. Beginning in the 1920’s Grace Hooper gathered family histories from throughout the Grand Traverse region, traveling hundreds of miles on foot. Her story about her own father, Thomas Guyer, became the basis for Whistle Up the Bay by Nancy Stone. Eventually her work was collected in Grace Hooper’s Pioneer Notes: By Trek and Sail to Grand Traverse Bay. The book, with a cover illustration by Betty Beeby, was reprinted in 2002 to benefit the Wilkinson Homestead Historical Society.
OK, so I’m not an original thinker. Still, I think there are probably a lot of new stories to collect since Grace Hooper walked the drumlins in the 1920’s. So we have a new page on this site, Ourstory. Let me know if you’d like to spend an afternoon telling me your part of it.
Torch Lake Views 
sarahvd
August 2, 2010
Since I spotted Loreen Niewenhuis’ blog while researching the difference between slate and shale, I’ve been nosing around at other “Up North” links and blogs: all wonderful! I’ve read Grace Hooper’s notes over and over again while working on my own writing project about our family’s place on Old Antrim Shores and Old Antrim City. Great stories! Excellent stories! A wealth of information and a valuable record. I wish I’d met her.
Gerry
August 2, 2010
Hi, Sarah! There are quite a few folks around here who did meet Grace. Hardy bunch, the denizens of the Township. She was by all accounts a fine storycatcher. When people ask me what the heck I think I’m doing, I tell them I aspire to be a Grace Hooper for the 21st Century. That usually stops ’em in their tracks.
I’ll be interested to see how your project develops. Creative nonfiction is a challenging form, but well-suited, I think, to the Flat Road.
suzen Hooper-Brown
April 25, 2011
my two children are the great great grandchild of Thomas Guyer – My daughter has been reading Pioneer Notes and Whistle up the Bay. She finds it very interesting.
Gerry
April 25, 2011
Suzen, how nice to hear from you. You must be Grace Guyer Hooper’s granddaughter. She’s one of my role models. Did you know that there are people still living in Eastport who knew her? There are many stories in these drumlins, and lots of people who love to tell them.
Elaine
July 18, 2013
I came upon your site while searching for more information on Grace Hooper’s book. I was just sent two pages from it and I was stunned and thrilled to see mention of my GGGrandfather, Charles Hardy and My GGGrandmother Diana Tallman, sister of Lucinda St. Clair. They were mentioned on pages 337 and 338. I’m most interested in the homesteading years. Charles Hardy’s sisters, Lois and Almeda Hardy pioneered Ellsworth. Have you read “Gleanings from Ellsworth’s Yesteryears” by Elsie Timmer?