The HFA Annual Meeting at Kalamazoo, Fantastic!  The Higdon Family Association 2010 Annual Meeting was another wonderful meeting of Higdons from all over. President Nan Harrison planned some very interesting field trips that told us about the history of cars, planes, paper and the city of Kalamazoo.
On Thursday morning, July 29th, those that gathered in the lobby walked as a group to the Kalamazoo Library, which was about 2 blocks from the Radisson Plaza Hotel. A very informative tour about the development of the library and its service to the people of Kalamazoo was given.  The library had an unusual children's reading room, which was made like a castle. On the 4th floor of the library was a large conference room, where various topics are discussed or taught to the general populace. The most recently sheduled topic is raising chickens inside the city limits. After the visit to the Library, the group dispersed to find lunch at the variety of restaurants that were along the Kalamazoo Mall, a street mall in downtown Kalamazoo. At 1:00 p.m. the group regathered to go to the Gilmore Car Museum. The tour group posed in front of an old Shell gasoline station. The station was very realistic. There were 12 barns of cars. One barn held unbelievably great Cadillacs, all shiny and slick looking. The cars went from steam and electric cars (ca. 1904) to Nascar autos. There was a wonderful Blue Moon Diner, when the touring got you hungary and thirsty. Their tea and lemonade were very refreshing as you sat in the Diner, or if you used one of the several seated areas that were scattered around the property under the trees. The Pierce Arrow Barn, the Chevolets and Fords were amazing.  Lots of amazing cars that brought the past vividly to life. Memories and the idea that what was old is also new (electric cars) was very evident. Eugene and Georgina Smith enjoyed their trip through the electric cars. If you plan to visit this museum during you visit to Kalamazoo, plan to spend several hours and don't forget the minatures house (unbelievably tiny replicas of homes and everyday items).
 Just as the cars were unbelievably wonderful, the trip on Friday afternoon to the AirZoo was also a great experience. 
The AirZoo has exhibits of planes from the various military campaigns. A fighter plane, a helicopter, a replica of the Lunar module, and a variety of WW2 planes. There was also an exhibit that told the story of the Women's Air Ferry Service. The WAFS was the first women's air force that had women ferry airplanes to the war zone, in order to free up male airmen to fly bombing raids. The exhibit displayed the uniforms and had a movie reel like banner that went all around the walls, with the pictures of all the female WAFS. A simulator of the cockpit was also a part of the exhibit. The day that the HFA was there groups of school children were there learning about the planes and the people who flew them. A part of the exhibits were a group of simulators or rides the children could experience. Saturday was a very busy but relaxation was available on the lawn of President Nan Harrison's lakeside home, after the business meeting in the morning. President Nan had a lovely lunch and visitation time at her home which is on one of the many lakes in the area.  The evening banquet was an outside barbeque, which was not too far from the Harrison home at Gulf Lake Country Club and also nicely situated on the lake front.  The speaker for the banquet was Hal Higdon. Hal is best known for his running. Not for politics, but for running, in marathons and for his writings in Runner's Magazine. Hal has a new book titled Marathon, which is a novel about the world of serious running. However, Hal spoke to the group about his experiences tracing his wife's family ancestors in the Balkan nations, where written documents are scarce.
 President Nan talks with Hal Higdon before his talk about working on the genealogy of his wife's family.
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