The Edwardsburg Area Historical Museum will feature three displays and a record eight speakers during its 2017 season, which opens May 17.

The display will portray the history of railroading in Edwardsburg and collections of model trains.

The season’s speaking engagements, all on Thursday evenings, will include interviews with individuals who will share their growing up years and/or public service careers in the area as well as presentations on railroading and an antique clock collection.

The train exhibit will showcase actual artifacts from the Grand Trunk Western Railroad, including historical documents and colorful photographs from the Grand Trunk and its successor company, the Canadian National Railroad. There also will be a display of photographs from the Big Four Railroad.

The Big Four operated in early years between Indianapolis and Benton Harbor, with stops in Elkhart, Granger, and Truitt Station in Milton Township. Remnants of the Big Four’s railroad bed still exist in the area today. Several individuals also will display their model railroad collections.

A highlight of the three-month exhibit will be appearances by two speakers with a history in railroading.

On June 1, Joe O’Brien, the president of the Grand Trunk Western Railroad Historical Society of Shelby Township, will speak on the history of the Grand Trunk and how it came to operate through Edwardsburg.

On June 15, Chuck Hart, of Edwardsburg, will speak on model railroading. A Michigan City, Indiana, native, and president of the Elkhart Train Club, Hart is a United States Navy veteran who has been a model railroader since childhood.

On July 6, Stan Disher, of Edwardsburg, will give a presentation on his collection of antique wall and mantle clocks, several of which are displayed on the balcony of the museum’s gallery. The clocks date to the 1850s.

Probate Judge Susan Dobrich and her sister, Patty McCain, will share memories of growing up along Christiana Lake when they speak at the museum Aug. 10.

The second display of the season, which opens Aug. 29, will be devoted to fabric art from the museum’s collection, or items loaned by residents.

Robin English, owner of Robin’s Nest, of Edwardsburg, will speak about quilting and other fabric art forms at a presentation Sept. 7.

On Oct. 19, Jim Becraft, who worked in Cass County government for more than 40 years until his retirement in 2016, will share memories of growing up in Mason Township and stories of his work in property description for the county.

Owen Wright, former longtime supervisor of Mason Township, will share stories of growing up in Cass County and memories of his work in business and government when he concludes the speaker series Nov. 9.

As in past years, the museum will sponsor two fundraising events.

They are the annual perennial plant sale, which will run from May 20 through June 10, and the U.S. Highway 12 Garage Sale, scheduled this year the weekend of Aug. 11.

The museum’s annual John B. Sweetland Award for community leadership and service will be presented at the museum during the open house for Edwardsburg Public Schools alumni Aug. 20, after the All-School Reunion.