Our History

  • 1924 – John Robert Crouse, Sr. founds the Cromaine Society and erects three lodges on Walden Lake to form Waldenwoods.
  • 1926 – John Robert Crouse, Sr. retires to his boyhood home in Hartland MI
  • 1927 – John Robert Crouse, Sr. and his uncle, Henry A. Tremaine added to an earlier bequest made by John Bernard Crouse,  built the Cromaine Library and presented it to the Hartland Consolidated School District.
  • 1928  – The Hartland Consolidated Schools Foundation is set up to promote better living conditions, sanitary betterment, health measures and educational activities to improve the lives of inhabitants of the HCS.
  • 1931 – October, 7 – Hartland Area Project officially begins as a “Friendly Association for Wholehearted Service”
  • 1931 – Nellie Beatrice Huger hired as first Minister of Music. Renovations to the Music hall and the first singing of the Messiah take place
  • 1933 – Helping Teacher Program begins
  • 1933 – Hartland Community band reactivated as Hartland Adult Band
  • 1933 – Community Life newspaper is first published
  • 1933 – Cromaine Crafts created to offer courses in pottery, weaving, basket making, bookbinding, leather and copper crafts were offered to students and adults in the Area.
  • 1938 – Recreation Hall opens
  • 1939 – The Hartland Dramatic Club is formed under the direction of Inez Musson
  • 1939 – Hartland Area Canning Cooperative is organized
  • 1941 – Cotton Mattress program starts, taking advantage of surplus cotton to help rural families
  • 1946 – July 18th – John Robert Crouse Sr. passes away
  • 1980 – Music Hall listed on the State Register of Historic Places
  • 1990 Hartland Community Education revived the Spring Concert series.