The three faces of Fred Warner

Only one Farmington resident has ever become governor of Michigan — Fred Warner, who served from 1905-11. As well as top state executive, he was also a bicycle racer, cheese factory founder, reformer, and devoted husband and father.

This July, Fred Warner turns 150. To celebrate, Mansion Musings speaks with the three gentlemen who have stepped into Fred's shoes as re-enactors at Farmington's Gov. Warner Mansion museum.

Brian Golden, director of the nonprofit Pastways, is probably Farmington's longest-serving history buff. As president of the Farmington Historical Society, Golden has studied Fred Warner through local history books as well as at the mansion. For him, portraying Fred is like acting in a play.

"I wear a period suit and hat," he said. "I turn into the governor as soon as I put on the hat."

In the history world, Golden plays many characters. Sometimes, he appears as Nathan Power, son of Farmington's founder. At the Pine Grove Historical Museum in Pontiac, he's Gov. Moses Wisner. One year, he played Gov. Warner — aka "Dead Fred" — at the mansion's Halloween Ghost Night event. Always ready for fun, he found an arm from a mannequin and extended it to shake hands. "I would ask, 'Can I give you a hand?' and they would get freaked out," he recalled.

Golden's favorite role as Fred is riding alongside the Warnerettes Parasol Drill Team in the Founders Festival parade, doffing his hat to the crowd from the front seat of the Model T.

Gregg Halberstadt didn't have a choice when he was asked to play "Dead Fred" in the Ghost Night's first year: He was drafted by his wife, Sue, who oversees mansion activities in her role as Farmington city clerk. At the time, Gregg worked for a local sign company. But he always had a bent for theater, so he was game — even though he wasn't positive what he was in for.

"The only thing I was sure of was that it would be a 'ghastly' experience," he said.

Dressing as Fred, Halberstadt donned a suit, tie, and top hat. But the outfit was outshined by his ghostly makeup, complete with wrinkles and scars. He was in for a shocker when he looked in the mirror.

"They had done the face but hadn't blended it out very much, so I looked like a corpse with human ears," he said.

Despite the getup, Halberstadt focused on the job at hand. "I've always found that when dressed in costume, it's helpful to 'become' the part instead of playing it," he explained. "Even when there was down time between presentations, I tried to maintain the character." That included speaking in a gravelly voice, as befit someone dead for nearly a century.

Chuck Eudy, Farmington's superintendent of Public Services, was "discovered" at a City Council meeting by two Warner Mansion volunteers, who noticed that his mustache looked exactly like Fred's. A day or so later, he received a telephone call asking if he would like to dress up as Fred for a Warnerettes photo-op. The photo turned into an Uncle Sam-style Warnerettes recruiting poster, complete with the slogan "Governor Warner wants YOU!"

In 2013 and 2014, Eudy was recruited to play "Dead Fred." Portraying Fred's commitment to the community was his ultimate goal. But he couldn't resist some lighthearted ad-libbing. "I tried to be serious about Fred," he said. "But how can you be serious during the Halloween season?"

He's got good reason to laugh now. This spring, Eudy's picture was printed on a giant Warnerettes poster — nearly life-size — and displayed for a month in the Korner Barbers window, at the intersection of Grand River and Farmington. Who knows, residents and business owners might start calling him "Fred."

We asked our Fred Warner re-enactors: What is one thing the Victorians have on us? Golden commented on the slower lifestyle — and fun clothing. Halberstadt longed for the days when technology didn't interfere with communication. (He must have found his calling — recently, he became a historic presenter at Greenfield Village's Liberty Craftsworks.) Eudy said, "No cell phones. No TV. Enjoying a lazy afternoon on the front porch with friends, neighbors, and cold iced tea."

Apparently, newer isn't necessarily better.

Maria Taylor is assistant editor at Michigan History magazine and publicity coordinator at the Warner Mansion.