The event featured fresh donuts and apple cider, the Family Resource Center Carnival, fossil finding, exhibit tours in the Avenue of Shops, and a drumming demonstration in the planetarium.

The Historical Village was open for tours of the McKay Log Cabin, the Maltz Exchange Bank, Green School, and Spratt Church.

The Girl Scouts of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Alpena gave tours of Spratt Church, explaining bits of history to guests. The girls explained that the church was built in 1912 and the pews are exact replicas of the original pews. Guiding guests to the windowsill, the Girl Scouts then noted that a 1919 penny was found in that same windowsill when the church was moved to the museum grounds in 1990. They said the church was heated with a woodstove, and a painting of Jesus was found on the wall behind the cross.

Two of the Girl Scouts giving tours on Saturday were Layla Ellsworth, 8, and Juliana Avery, 10.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Layla Ellsworth, 8, and Juliana Avery, 10, welcome guests to the 1912 Spratt Church on Saturday at the Besser Museum Fall Festival. The Girl Scouts from St. Paul Lutheran Church gave tours of the historical building.

Scout leaders Trudy Mousseau, Bronwyn Woolman, Janis Galarza, and Carla Steinke supervised the girls at the Spratt Church.

“As a troop, we like to give back to the community,” Woolman said. “The girls enjoy coming here, playing games, doing crafts, supporting the museum.”

She said the Girl Scouts have been giving tours of Spratt Church for over 20 years.

“The museum has been very good to the community,” Woolman said. “We have fun giving back.”

Inside the museum, volunteer Mark Addington, dressed in historic clothing, welcomed guests into the General Store in the Avenue of Shops.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Volunteer Mark Addington tells visitors about the General Store in the Avenue of Shops inside the museum on Saturday.

He explained that the original counter came from Marston’s General Store in Long Rapids, and the store was used as a post office as well as offering groceries, a selection of meats, dry goods, and candy.

Reach News Community Editor Darby Hinkley at 989-358-5691 or dhinkley@TheAlpenaNews.com.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Children pick a ducky out of a pool for a prize in the Family Resource Center Carnival Saturday at Besser Museum.

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Hamid Hamid smiles behind a cowboy cutout in front of the Maltz Exchange Bank on Saturday at Besser Museum.