Volunteers hope to raise $5M to build permanent museum to mark Bath School Disaster

BATH TWP. — On the 97th anniversary of the deadliest school disaster in U.S. history, local volunteers are a step closer to a permanent museum to mark the Bath School Disaster.

A Bath School museum has been in the works for more than a year, with hopes it will open in time to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the incident.

On May 18, 1927, the Bath school board treasurer and critic triggered a series of dynamite explosions that killed 45 people, mostly children, and injured dozens. The death toll in the small farming community remains hauntingly higher than any single U.S. school shooting, including the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007 that claimed 32 lives.

Six adults and 38 students, the youngest who was 7 years old, were killed in the Bath Consolidated School bombings. The last survivor was Irene Dunham, who was 19 at the time of the blast. She was the oldest person in Michigan, and the 10th oldest in the world, when she died in 2022 at age 114.

Today, the legacy of the survivors is largely carried on through their grandchildren.

"We want to tell the story, to make sure no one forgets before it's too late," said Chris Hagerman, a museum organizer and grandson of a survivor.

How much will the museum cost?

The museum needs about $5 million to get launched, Hagerman said.

The effort to raise money includes fundraising, grants, and working with state and local governments, he said.

Hagerman did not say how much the museum has raised so far.

Are artifacts on display now?

Artifacts including clothing, desks and class photos from the school currently are kept in glass cases on a wall at Bath Middle School, which was built decades after the bombing.

Some larger items can't be displayed because the school is always buzzing with students and guests, Hagerman said.

And having the items on display in a school is not ideal, he said. Hours are limited, guests can't visit when they'd like — they need a school escort or advance permission and it creates the potential for threats inside the school.

Where would the planned museum be located?

The standalone museum would be built in James Couzens Memorial Park, 13753 Main St., which was named for the former U.S. senator who largely funded the reconstruction of a new school after the bombings.

The 2-acre park occupies the site where the school building stood, and a cupola from the original building is located in the park, along with a memorial.

The design of the museum would mimic the original building on the west side, and would have a more modern look on the east side, with windows so people can see the cupola 24/7 where it will be placed indoors.

The cupola has been examined by Michigan State University experts, who said it was in great shape for wood that has been outside since 1922, and it can be repainted and preserved for many more years, Hagerman said.

For more information, or to get involved, visit bathschoolmuseum.org.

Contact Mike Ellis at mellis@lsj.com or 517-267-0415

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Volunteers hope to raise $5M to build permanent Bath School Disaster museum