Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement – January 26, 2025

History of Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement

Ralph C. Morrison, who taught at a local community college, had an elderly student named Eunice in his class. When Morrison read an article about her some time later, and discovered the name of Eunice’s old 1834 school, Toad Hollow Country School, that stood on Knox Street in Kalamazoo, something about the name stayed with him. It eventually inspired him to use the words ‘Toad Hollow’ in his fictional stories. He made Toad Hollow into a magical town. When his readers enquired about the town’s whereabouts, he said you can find it within your heart.

Due to the success of these stories, Kalamazoo County allowed Morrison to use a local park to tell his stories. The County acquired Scotts Mill County Park in 1973 and subsequently opened it to the public in 1976. In 1992, Morrison formed a non-profit society to help with the park. The group of volunteers selected was called ‘voluntoads,’ and they built a version of the town and called it Toad Hollow. They hosted blacksmithing, quilting, candle- and soap-making classes and had events like Renaissance Fairs and Civil War reenactments. Unfortunately, this lasted for only three years until the county repossessed the land.

After this, the voluntoads branched out and started teaching in nearby schools until 2003. They talked about arts, practiced storytelling, shared their knowledge of trades, and had writing classes. It was also during this time that the voluntoads came up with the Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement as a day to share kindness, what we know, and encouragement with each other.