In 2008, a generous donation was made to the Local History and Genealogy Department. Ron Kuiper and the children of Bill Oldenberg donated a collection of oral histories on cassette tape. During the 1970s, Ron Kuiper and Bill Oldenberg recorded reminiscences of local residents with the intent to use the interviews to publish a book about the Grand Haven area. Unfortunately, Oldenberg was killed in a car accident, and Kuiper shelved the project for thirty years. It wasn't until Ron met David Schock that the tapes were pulled out of storage. Schock suggested that they might be digitized, and during the next year and a half, a crew met in Schock's studio to create digital copies of the analog tapes. Loutit District Library recognizes the hundreds of hours David's crew spent in preparing the original digital files.
LDL staff is currently working to make audio files of these interviews, along with the written transcripts, available here. Now you can listen to bank teller Art Welling talk about the Peoples Bank robbery by Baby Face Nelson, or enjoy reminiscences of other area residents.
Press the arrow on the audio player next to the interviewee's name to hear the interview. More coming soon!
KUIPER-OLDENBURG COLLECTION
| NAME |
AUDIO | TRANSCRIPT |
| Ball, Kittie |  |
Kittie Ball |
| Bitting, Soule | |
Soule Bitting |
| Boiten, Gerrit | |
Gerrit Boiten |
| Bolt, Ted | |
Ted Bolt |
| Bronsema, William | |
William Bronsema |
| Bunker, Andrew | |
Andrew Bunker |
| Cavanaugh, Katherine | |
Katherine Cavanaugh |
| Clark, Helen & Mrs. Bright | |
Helen Clark |
| Cook, Elaine Grunst | |
No Transcript |
| Cook, Jerry | |
No Transcript |
| Cook, Mr. Radio Program | |
No Transcript |
| Danhof, Edith and Alice | |
Edith Danhof and Alice Storr |
| DeRyke, Gerrit Pitchy | |
Gerrit DeRyke |
| Dubee, Marian | |
Marian DuBee |
| Fricke, Otto and wife | |
Otto Fricke and wife |
| Grieve, Mrs. John | |
Mrs. John Grieve Part 1 |
| Grieve, Mrs. John 2 | |
Mrs. John Grieve Part 2 |
| Hierholzer, William | |
William Hierholzer |
| Howard, A.D., Phyllis, Cynthia | |
A.D., Phyllis, & Cynthia Howard |
| Hunting, David Part I | |
David Hunting, Part I |
| Hunting, David Part II | |
David Hunting, Part II |
| Hunting, David Part III | |
No Transcript |
| Hunting, David Part IV | |
David Hunting, Part IV |
| Jacobson, Alvin | |
Alvin Jacobson |
| Johnston, Mrs. James H. (nee Kirkland) | |
Mrs. James H. Johnston (nee Kirkland) |
| Joldersma, Lambert | |
No Transcript |
| Kehoe, George 1973 | |
George Kehoe 1973 |
| Kehoe, George 1975 | |
George Kehoe 1975 |
| Kiddy Kover Strike | |
No Transcript |
| Koster, Agnes | |
Agnes Koster |
| Kruizenga, Richard & Wife | |
Richard Kruizenga & Wife |
| Lee, Mrs. J. Wesley | |
Mrs. J. Wesley Lee |
| Lehman, Lewis | |
Lewis Lehman |
| Lock, Harry - March, 1973 | |
Harry Lock - March 1973 |
| Lock, Harry - June, 1973 | |
Harry Lock - June 1973 |
| Lock, Harry J. | |
Harry J. Lock |
| McDonald, Ruby | |
Ruby McDonald |
| Mielke, Jessica | |
Jessica Meilke |
| Meyer | |
Meyer |
| Nyland, Esther Dean 1 | |
Esther Dean Nyland 1 |
| Nyland, Esther Dean 2 | |
Esther Dean Nyland 2 |
| Nyland, Esther Dean 3 | |
Esther Dean Nyland 3 |
| O'Beck, Marie | |
No Transcript |
| Oldemulders, Fred | |
No Transcript |
| Parker, Albert III | |
Albert Parker III |
| Pippel, Nellie VandenBosch | |
Nellie VandenBosch Pippel |
| Poel, J. Nyhof | |
J. Nyhof Poel |
| Pringle, Charles | |
Charles Pringle |
| Pytlinski, Mrs. Felix | |
Mrs. Felix Pytlinski |
| Reimold, Mrs. Friant Wincell | |
No Transcript |
| Rhem, Nancy Dornbos | |
No Transcript |
| Rink, Cornelius Casey 1975 | |
Casey Rink 1975 |
| Rink, Cornelius Casey 1976 | |
Casey Rink 1976 |
| Robertson, John | |
John Robertson |
| Rollenhagen, Jack 1 | |
Jack Rollenhagen |
| Rollenhagen, Jack 2 | |
No transcript |
| Rollenhagen, Jack 3 | |
Jack Rollenhagen 3 |
| Roosien, Richard | |
Richard Roosien |
| Rucks, Doris | |
Doris Rucks |
| Rycenga, Lewis & Charles | |
Lewis & Charles Rycenga |
| Ryder, William | |
William Ryder |
| Rymer, Sam | |
Sam Rymer |
| Seifert, Joseph | |
Joseph Seifert |
| Seifert, Joseph & John Robertson | |
Joseph Seifert & John Robertson |
| Split, James (bad recording) | |
James Split |
| Spring, Norman | |
Norman Spring |
| Stobbelaar, Bobbie | |
Bobbie Stobbelaar |
| Swan, Margaret Robertson | |
Margaret Swan |
| Swanson, Raymond | |
Raymond Swanson |
| Swart, George | |
George Swart |
| Swart, Rev. Cornelius | |
Rev Cornelius Swart |
| Swart, Rev. Cornelius and George | |
George & Rev. Cornelius Swart |
| Swartz, Harold 1 | |
Harold Swartz 1 |
| Swartz, Harold 2 | |
Harold Swartz 2 |
| Tysman, Henry 1974 | |
Henry Tysman 1974 |
| Tysman, Henry 1975 | |
Henry Tysman 1975 |
| Tysman, Henry 1976 | |
Henry Tysman 1976 |
| VandenBerg, Mrs. George | |
Mrs. George VandenBerg |
| VandenBosch, Kate | |
Kate VandenBosch |
| VanderVeen, Mrs. Tracy | |
Mrs. Tracy VanderVeen |
| VanHall, Arthur | |
Arthur VanHall |
| VanKolken, Bonnie et. al. | |
Bonnie VanKolken |
| VanSchelven, John | |
John VanSchelven |
| VanSchelven, John & Wilson, Maurice | |
No transcript |
| Verhoeks, Neil | |
No transcript |
| Waanders, John | |
No transcript |
| Walsh, Clifford | |
No transcript |
| Weatherly, E. Gordon | |
E. Gordon Weatherly |
| Welling, Arthur | |
Arthur Welling |