Coopersville Area Historical Society and Museum

Partially housed in a former interurban depot that was once part of an electric rail line that connected Grand Rapids to Muskegon, the museum is home to railroad memorabilia, a replica 1880s drugstore and the Del Shannon Memorial and Collection. The depot itself served from 1902-1928 and is on both the National and Michigan Registers of Historical Places.

The museum’s collection also includes a rare wooden, interurban railcar (dubbed car #8, Merlin) that sits beside the depot.  There is currently a fund raising effort underway and plans to fully enclose the railcar to protect it from the ravages of the weather.  The future building will also provide space for additional exhibits.

Sitting adjacent to the depot is a more rustic building that houses a variety of exhibits and displays.  Among them are a collection of vintage logging and early settlement tools, a full size sawmill display, an old one room school, a collection of Native American artifacts, and a recreated 1880s drugstore.    

The museum is also home to a large collection of memorabilia from 1960s rock n roll icon, Del Shannon, who grew up in Coopersville.  Included in this collection are several of Shannon’s gold records, high school memorabilia and various awards.  The museum annually celebrates the life and music of Shannon with its Del Shannon Days, held the first full weekend of August.