Museums & Galleries:
Clyde Craig Blacksmith Museum
Circa 1882 301 N. Bailey, Owned and Operated by the Romeo
Historical Society.
Originally the tinsmith shop(c. 1882) of Fritz Engel, this building is
a late Greek Revival. Clyde Craig, a blacksmith displaced by Detroit's
growing mechanization, came to Romeo in 1919 to be closer to the source
of much of his work; farmers, their tools and their horses. Craig shoed
large work horses and replaced the "tires" on their wagons. In
his early days, he even did some "farrier" work-- surgery on
farm animals. A Model-A Ford with a plow and tools in the back seat transported
his shop to farms and stables when neccessary. Until the early 1970's,
Craig continued pounding out plowshare, sharpening stonecutter's hammers
and welding tools. In the winter, he made ornamental wrought iron hardware
for latches, cabinets and doors. Although the shop was scheduled for destruction
after Craig's death, funds from the Romeo Home Tours have enabled the Romeo
Historical Society to move the structure from it's original location and
maintain it. For information about tours or times when the museum is open,
call 586-752-4111.
Bancroft-Stranahan Museum
Circa 1868 132 Church Street. Late Greek Revival. Owned and Operated by the Romeo Historical Society. Dr.Randolph S. Bancroft, a Romeo dentist, had this built after he acquired the property in May 1867.
Two years later, in 1870, Bancroft moved to Kansas and sold his home to
Andrew J. Stranahan. Stranahan and his family lived there until 1916. Mr.
Stranahan was a builder and constructed many homes in the area. Although
the home now houses the collection of the Romeo Historical Society, touches
of Andrew Stranahan and his family remain. Some of the Stranahan's original
furniture, donated by Great-Granddaughter Bea Stranahan, has been placed
in the front room. Inside the home, a Victorian parlor has been reconstructed.
The dining room centers around the portrait and wildlife paintings of Romeo
artist William Gibbs. Gibbs was active from the 1850's until shortly after
the turn of the century. The kitchen artifacts date from about 1910 and
include an icebox, woodburning stove and an early vacuum cleaner. A gift
shop is located at the rear of the museum. the second floor is used for
office space and archival storage. The museum resumes monthly tours the
first Saturday of each month, starting in March, from 1-3pm. For more information
about the museums or for tours, contact the museum at 586-752-4111.
The Romeo Arts & Archives Center
1935 290 N. Main St. Owned and Operated by the Romeo Historical Society. Formerly the Michigan State Police
post in the Village of Romeo, it was vacated in 1995,when the Romeo post
merged with the Richmond, Michigan post. Originally built between 1935
and 1936, by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), it was one of twelve
police posts built by the federal government to provide jobs for unemployed
workers… In order to preserve the building, the Historical Society, in
partnership with the Romeo Methodist Church, purchased the post in 1997.
Since then, the Society has been restoring the building to use for storing
and exhibiting Romeo memorabilia and archives. Much of this information
was provided by Romeo resident Richard Campbell. Mr. Campbell was assigned
in 1976 as a Michigan State Trooper to work at the post. He lived for one
year in the second floor dormitory, as was the custom at that time, and
he remained stationed at the post until it was closed. Address: 290 North
Main St .Phone: 586-752-7646. Open Tuesday evenings 7-9pm.
Romeo Village Park
Address: 115 West Newberry Street Phone: 586-752-3565
Starkweather Arts & Cultural Center
The Starkweather Arts & Cultural Center is a non-profit art center,
one of only two in Macomb county. Our mission is to preserve, promote and
foster the arts in the village of Romeo and surrounding communities.
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