Preservation of History

Lawton has it's own memorabilia room with items unique to Lawton. Artifacts are obtained via donation, loan, and outright purchase and are logged, and insured. Funding for the Museum comes from donations and fund raising events. 

Lawton is the birthplace of the Michigan grape and wine industry with the first grapes being planted shortly after the civil war and the first commercial harvesting beginning around 1900 in the form of fresh pack table grapes. The juice and wine processing began in 1903 in the very building that houses the museum. 

Through the years numerous juice and wine processors have made their home in Lawton and 2 continue today, namely Welchs and Honee Bear canning. Lawton grew up around the grape industry and that is what the Museum tries to represent.