Celebrate America's Independence Saturday at the Depot Museum in Saline

Let's get this out of the way since it's the most common question in Saline these days. The City of Saline is NOT hosting a Fourth of July fireworks show this year. The city hosted two fireworks shows in recent years with funding from Grand Sakwa Properties, which purchased Layher Farms on North Maple Road for a development now being constructed by Pulte Homes.

The sponsorship has expired and fireworks shows may return to the city if new funding is found.

You don't need fireworks to feel festive about the Fourth of July, though. The Saline Area Historical Society invites residents to the Saline Depot Museum from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, July 2, for the annual Wayne Clements Memorial Independence Day Event.

The Depot Museum is located at 402 N. Ann Arbor St., behind the Saline Pharmacy. Parking is available at Henne Field on Bennett Street.

Guests can tour the depot, livery barn and caboose. They'll also be invited to ride the velocipede on the train tracks.

The historical society is also organizing kids' games on the lush green lawn.

The Saline History & Depot Museum has women’s displays featuring Mrs. Risdon, 19th-century photographer Lucretia Gillett, early 20th-century piano teacher Vesta Mills and Caroline Humphrey. The museum also has a historic newspaper display.

The current display features "historic wedding items."

The Saline Railroad Depot, with its freight house, telegraph, and passenger facilities, served as a crucial link in the economic transformation that took place between Saline's rural hinterlands and the outside world. Up to six scheduled steam trains a day moved 20 to 30 miles per hour. 

If you're still in the mood for fireworks, you drive west to Manchester, which presents its annual fireworks display Sunday night at Carr Park, 600 W. Main St. The beer tent opens at 7 p.m.

More News from Saline

• BASKETBALL: Saline Comes Up Just Short Against Westland John Glenn Westland John Glenn visited Saline and left with a 51-47 victory over the Hornets Friday.
• Rev. Mary Baker, from Saline, Sang with her Sisters for Decades Reverend Mary M. Baker of Anderson, from Saline, began her ministry journey at an early age.