Show 100 Sunday June 24 Ufe 2001 Standard Examiner Custer made his first Stand in Michigan If you go Controversial general honored in LODGING: Michigan Lake to Lake Bed & Breakfast Association lists only one B&B in Monroe The Lotus 324 Washington St Monroe Ml 48161 (734) 384 9914 This elegantly restored 1 870s mansion is situated in a neighborhood the Custers would still recognize today The marvelous gothic house across the street was once the home ot William Boyd who with his brother Erasmus helped to found Boyd s Seminary where Libbie Gen George Armstrong Custer s wife attended school In addition to The Lotus lodging in Monroe includes the AmeriHost Inn Comfort Inn Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn t The his hometown By BRIAN DOWNES CNoago !nKit MONROE Mich of by the thousands will coinci de on the plains of Express southern Montana this slimmer to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Hattie of the Little Bin Horn where on dune 25 IS'o Gen George Armstrong Custer and every man of live companies of the “th Cavalry were fatally crushed by an overwhelming force of Sioux and Cheyenne Indians DINING: Ruby Tuesday 's just outside of town at 201 7 Telegraph Rd Similar to the Benmgan s chain the restaurant is not especially noteworthy except for a commemorative display of Custer photographs just inside the entrance (No historic relics here but worth a gander anyway ) Quatro s has wonderful food and nice decor but it's a bit It features mainly expensive - suitable for any special occasion Italian fare and such specialties as Tenderloin Portabella Chicken Frangelico and a dozen varieties of pasta Quatro's Is at 1295 Stewart Rd Monroe (734) 242 6788 SITES OF INTEREST: The best place to familiarize yourself with historic Monroe and the Custer sites is the Monroe County Historical Museum 126 S Monroe St (734) 240 7780 In addition to the splendid Custer exhibits are selections devoted to Indians once native to the region miscellaneous relics pertaining to Michigan's early French settlers and an impressive collection of Victorian furniture clothing and decorative arts May 1 through Sept 30 the museum is open 0 a m 5 p m seven days a week the rest of the year it is open 10am to 5 p m Wednesday through and freeunder Saturday Admission is $2adults $ ages age 7 in June July and August there is no admission charge at To avoid the crowds head to historic Monroe where -- milibetween his tary post inns Custer had lived since bin hood far-flun- g In a letter to one of the general’s critics written decades after the battle veteran Indian fighter John Ryan w ho once sen ed under Custer minced no words when he vv rote "1 am a Custer man I rom beginning to end ami don't give a damn who likes 1 1 other times 4 S Monroe St The River Raisin Center for the Arts at (one door south of the museum) is a vintage movie house converted Into a venue for touring performers Recent entertainment has included Rich Little Mickey Rooney the Guy Lombardo Orchestra and cowboy singer Michael Martin Murphey For a schedule of future events call (734) The River Raisin Battlefield Visitor Center 403 E Elm St offers travelers Interested In the War of 1 81 2 interpretive exhibits on one of the bloodiest engagements of that war Ol the 934 Americans who fought the British and their Indian allies near this place only 33 escaped death or capture For information call 1 it" It's sometimes difficult for boosters of this picturesque citv of 21000 on the western shore of Like Erie to know exactly how to embrace the controversial general when his popularity often hinges on the political whims of each generation In Ins 242-772- 2 (734) OTHER ATTRACTIONS: 243-713- 6 Reconstructed early 1800s Navarre Anderson Trading Post Hiking trails of Sterling State Park The massive Cabela s outfitters store which hosts as many as 750000 visitors per month The area also boasts being the "Walleye Capital of the World" and on Lake Erie just 3 miles east of downtown Monroe are marinas bait shops and a several charter boat services With more than 30 courses to choose from the region Is also a popular golf center own day and for many years after Custer was hometown hero hut more recently he has become what is believed by many to be the embodiment of all crimes committed against the Indians from Christopher Columbus to the present - which is puzzling considering which side prevailed at the Little Big Horn INFORMATION For a complete Information package on the Monroe area Including dining and lodging contact the Monroe County Tourism Bureau 106 W Front St Box 1094 Monroe Ml 48161 1 www monroelnfo com (800) 252-30- (Above) A statue of Gen George Getting to know him Armstrong Custer stands In a small park of his hometown of Monroe Mich (Left) Custer's family plot takes up part of Woodland Cemetery In Monroe No one con expect to gam a full appreciation of Custer's Monroe without devoting at least an hour to the marvelous exhibit dedicated to the general and his family at the Monroe County Historical Museum located on the second floor of the building that wus once Monroe’s post f- fice the gallery presents the Custers in the context of their time - not ours - and certainly without apology BRIAN DOWNES Chicago Tribune In chronological displays of photographs relics and text you learn that Custer was born in New Kumley Ohio in 1819 and moved to Monroe when he was 10 to take advantage of better educational opportunities and where an older sister was already living Eventually the entire family relocated here and while never socially prominent they were well known for being close-kni- t pened to have lived extraordinary lives The collection most of which was donated to the City of Monroe by Libbie and other family members traces Custer's mililary career from West Point to the western plains marked the locations where Custer two of his brothers his nephew und brother-in-law were slain No one parallel story is that of the more respected Bacon family Judge Daniel Bacon after the death of his wife vacated the fumi-lhome and enrolled his only child Elizabeth ) (affectionately known us In a nearby boarding schiKil Custer was off to school os well to the United Stutes Military Academy at West Point NY Early in the Civil War while the budding general was establishing his reputution os the commander of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade the beautiful Libbie wus developing into Monroe's most sought-afte- r belle n y Lib-bie- brief introduction sparked an intense courtship and A overcoming the initial objections of her futher Libbie and Custer were murried in Monroe in 1864 a love affair that lusted the entirety of their lives Gazing at the portraits and photographs of this legendary couple and examining such personal items as their own baby clothes and family Bible they no longer seem so remote and instead became real people who hap ever ac- cused the general of modesty and he clearly liked to save things Among his trophies ond other memo- rabilia you con sec uniforms a sword a Remington the "Foremost Custer Living Historian" "We’ve hud lndiuns visit here who are respectful und seem to take what we've done Not content just playing the Custers the Alexanders have practically lived as the general und his wife since purchasing ond restoring the former Bacon home at 703 Cass St We’ve had Indians visit here who are respectful and seem to take what we’ve done here in stride While they certainly are not Custer fans they seem to think he was no worse than any other military figure - Ralph Naveaux locks of his hair his writing desk und a pair of binoculars Custer reveled In his image of a plainsman and also in the collection is one of his trademark buckskin jackets decorated with porcupine quills and the buffalo-hid- e coat he wore during the Buttle of the Washita With so many mementos recalling his adventuresome life you can almost forget that Custer was most noted for his spectacular deuth In an almost haunting scene replicating the Montana battle field are the original stone tablets which for years Originally located on the site now occupied by the museum it was in this house that Libbie wus born where she wus courted by her "Custer director boy" and Monroe County Historical Museum Creedmore target rifle (complete with his scorecard) where they retreated while on furlough from here in stride” said assistant museum director Ralph "While they certainly are not Custer fans they seem to think he was no worse than uny other military x figure" Playing the Custers Steve and Sundy Alexan- the army A free brochure distributed by the museum makes It quite easy for visitors to Monroe to toke in some two dozen other Custer-relate- d sites Though a few ure just vacant lots a good number of significant buildings remain but most aren't open to the public der travel to commemorative events throughout the United Places to pause States as Gen and Mrs GA The pristine First PresbyCuster More than lookulikes Church Is where the terian their splendid portrayals were married and a Custers have been featured by docufew blocks away Is the home mentary filmmakers (A&E his father Emanuel and the History Channel) and of A couple of miles outside recognized by the legislatures of town pause at the Nevln of both Michigan and Ohio Custer form where In part- which have proclaimed Steve ( 1 nership with his brother the general considered breeding race stock in his retirement In later years Buffalo Bill Cody a family friend visited here Dandy Custer’s favorite horse is buried in a nearby orchard I Back in town spend u few minutes at the Custer family plot in Woodland Cemetery The general and Libbie are buried at West Point but resting in a fenced enclosure are his parents and other family members most notably his brother Boston and nephew larry Reed who both perI 66 A up-clo- 1 1 a grief-stricke- 7 ished beside him at the Little Big Horn Libbie’s parents Judge and Mrs Daniel Bacon are buried close by In the Errol Flynn movie Cadet Custer boasting of his aspirations to become a cavalryman noted prophetically that "There’s a lot more statues for soldiers than there are civilians" In 1910 in a dedication attended by his widow President William Howard Taft and some 25000 other celebrants - including surviving members of his old brigade -bronze of Cusa heroic-size- d ter atop his gallant steed was unveiled in Lorunger Squure just across the street from the church where he married Libbie nearly half a century before During a period when Custer's luster was not so bright the statue was moved to an obscure plot along the River Raisin and mostly forgotten The slight was corrected in the 1950s when the magnificent sculpture was restored to prominence when it was relocated to a small park of its own at the busy intersection of Elm and Monroe streets George Armstrong Custer once wrote that his ambition was " not to be wealthy not to be learned but to be great" He is at least In his hometown of Monroe Ifiu i ana urn LDS CHURCH HISTORY July (with Cumorah Pageant) or October Tour guide arc excellent Church Education professionals LDS TEMPLES WEST Boise Portland new Medford Oregon Temple Oakland Temple & Pageant Sun Francisco Reno July 24-- Jl CANADIAN TRAIN Vancouver to Toronto Aug ChruUna Snow Train Dec 0 7-- LDS TEMPLES NORTH Idaho Fall Yellowstone new Billing Temple Glacier Cardston Calgary Lake Louise Vancouver Victoria Seattle fly home Sept 4-NEW ENGLAND A ATLANTIC CANADA FALL FOLIAGE Nova Scotia A Prince Edward Island Quebec New I iampshire & Vermont ri 4 Cape Cod Sept Optional MORMON TRAIL 7 day lour October) BRANSON Oct 9 optional NAUVOO TEMPLE OPENHOUSE Spring 2002 5 days 6 days 7 days or We wrrpt: VISA Mf daya AX A PC 928 finin'! hi til |