We want to restore Three Oaks' "mystery building" to its 1930s glory days and turn it into a museum about the Warren family and the Featherbone Company that was key to the civic life of this area for decades.

The building was built in 1932-33 to house offices for the Warrens' agricultural interests, which included not only thousands of acres of Michigan farmland, but also nearly a million acres of cattle ranch land in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and Mexico. The building at 7 South Elm was last used in the 1980s and has sat idle -- the subject of much curiosity -- since then.

In the spring of 2025, owner Jim Barkhurst generously donated the building to The Region of Three Oaks Museum. We are delighted to turn this unused space into a great community asset, but it will be expensive. We expect renovation of the building to cost $50,000-75,000. The to-do list includes:

Making the building handicapped-accessible.
Replacing the outdated electrical box and cloth-covered wiring.
Installing an HVAC system. The old boiler and window unit air conditioner don't provide adequate climate control.
Taking down an old maple tree that threatens to fall on the building. We hope to plant other trees on the site.
Removing faded carpeting and draperies, restoring hardwood floors.
Replacing fluorescent lighting with Art Deco fixtures, similar to those envisioned in the original building blueprints.
Purchasing cabinets and shelving for display of artifacts, graphics, and museum signage.

The exhibits we plan will educate the community about the amazing legacy of the Warrens -- not just factories and farms that employed the lion's share of area residents for decades, but also the civic improvements and causes the family championed, particularly the enduring gifts of Warren Dunes and Warren Woods State Parks. The museum has reserves to cover some of the cost of this renovation and will seek grants, as well, but we really need the public's help to make this happen.

The Region of Three Oaks Museum is a 501 (C) (3) nonprofit corporation, so money donated to our capital campaign is tax-deductible.

TROTOM Capital Campaign

Help us restore the EK Warren & Son building to its former glory