2024.46

Wright, Barbara

12 in

23-3/4 in

1-1/4 in

From "Collecting the Lakeshore" 2025-2026 at the History Center main floor gallery [Label included a photo of the Wren cottage, 2024.46.02] Unknown artist Wren Cottage decorative painting circa 1900-1950 | oil on canvas This charming architectural detail is one of only a few fragments left from Presbyterian Camp, located on the Lake Michigan shore just south of Oval Beach and Perryman Road. The camp traced its origins to the Forward Movement Park, established in 1897 as part of the Settlement House movement in Chicago. Over its 117 year history it was home to a series of progressive, Christian camps as an inclusive “Chautauqua for the Poor.” The Presbytery of Chicago sold the camp property to a private equity firm in 2014 and the buildings and landscape were cleared for new residential development. The solid-wood panel, one part of a four or five paneled door, was coated with painted yellow-beige paint. The important detail is the decorative painting inset of a small brown bird and the text “WREN,” the name of the cabin. Barbara Wright who donated the artifact wrote this description of its history: I attended the Presbyterian Camp in Saugatuck in 1961. When the campground was removed my sister and her husband retrieved a portion of the cabin door where I had stayed. It was the “Wren” cabin. I’d like to send it back to where it came from since I live in Maine. Gift from Barbara Wright Accession 2024.46.01