Historic Charlton Park

Just southeast of Hastings, on the shore of Thornapple Lake, Historic Charlton Park is part history museum, part village, part swimming beach. The heart of it is a re-created turn-of-the-century Michigan village: more than a dozen genuine 1800s and early-1900s buildings — a one-room schoolhouse, a church, a blacksmith shop, a general store, a township hall — that were moved here from around the county and arranged along the streets of an old-time town. A separate museum holds one of the state’s better collections of farm and rural-life artifacts.

The park sits on more than 300 acres along the water, so it’s also a place to spend a summer day: there’s a swimming beach, picnic areas, and boat launches on Thornapple Lake. Charlton Park hosts events through the year, from a big Civil War reenactment to fall festivals.

Historic Charlton Park is at 2545 S. Charlton Park Road, Hastings; details are at barrycountyparks.org.