My City November 2022

According to Judson, Podunk House was the sec ond oldest dwelling in Genesee County. In the 1850s, Podunk residents tried to have the railroad come through their village, but it was routed through Fenton instead. “I think Colonel Fenton had something to do with where the train was going through,” Judson notes. “In 1875, Podunk became a ghost town when the water supply was cut o ,” Heusted adds. e house was then relocated to property at the corner of Torrey and Ray Rds. and was the home of John and Frances Judson for many years. Mr. and Mrs.William Watson then purchased the property from the Judson heirs and lived in it for many years. After the Watson family built a new home, Podunk House was deeded to Clarence Miller, Russell Judson and Harvey Swanebeck. In 1967, George H. Judson (Hewett’s father) estab lished the Pioneer Memorial Association of Fenton & Mundy Townships (a non-pro t organization) to preserve Podunk House and save it from demolition. In 1968, the house was moved to its current site at 2436 N. Long Lake Rd. in Fenton Township after a great deal of fundraising that included hosting bu alo dinners held at the Mun dy Township Hall. “My dad (George) traveled to South

Dakota to get the bu alo meat and bring it back for the din ners,” Judson remembers. Hewett Judson became involved in the Association in 1970 and Heusted has been part of the e orts since 1967. “I have always been interested in history,” she says. In 1970, the Pioneer Association hosted the rst Pioneer Day Picnic & Festival, their largest fundrais er, which always takes place in September on the rst Saturday after Labor Day. On Pioneer Day, visitors enjoy tours of the house – which is also a museum – as well as a bake sale, children’s games and musical entertainment. Local Boy Scout troops perform the ag-raising and lowering. e event typically attracts 150-200 attend ees. “We saw a lot more new people this year,” Heusted reports, “they never even realized it was here.” ß

LEAH DUMAS LOOKS AT A SCRAPBOOK IN THE PIONEER MUSEUM.

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