Henry Huber, proprietor of Huber’s Summer Garden, Reed’s Lake, the leading resort of the kind in this part of the state, is a German, born on the 24^th day of December, 1841, in Adelsheim, Baden. Until fourteen years of age he attended the schools of his native town and then began learning the furrier’s trade, which he has followed for a livelihood in both Germany and the United States.

Thinking to better his condition in a country which offered better opportunities for young men than his own, Mr. Huber in 1865 came to the United States, landing in March of that year in New York, in which city he followed his vocation until 1860. In the spring of the latter year he established himself in the furrier business in Detroit, Mich., and there remained with fair success until he removed in 1874 to Grand Rapids, where he again began working at his trade. He was this occupied until 1881, doing a prosperous business during that time, but in the latter year opened a restaurant on Pearl street, known as the Chicago Exchange, a venture which proved satisfactory in a financial sense. Subsequently Mr. Huber moved his business to the corner of Lyon and Kent streets, where he soon had a liberal patronage. He conducted the restaurant very profitably until 1889, in May of which year he purchased a tract of land at Reed’s Lake, a short distance east of Grand Rapids, and erected thereon the large pavilion which he has since occupied. This structure stands in the midst of a beautiful grove, and is one of the most attractive features of the most popular of all Grand Rapids’ summer resorts.

Mr. Huber is a gentleman of scholarly tastes and has given much time to the study of ancient and modern ornaments and implements of war among all nations of the world. Thirty years ago he began collecting, not only arms but ancient relics and curiosities of historic and general scientific value, and his large collection, which is always open to the inspection of the public, represents an expenditure of several thousand dollars in money and extensive travel throughout the United States and parts of Europe. In 1895 he spent several months in the old world, and while there secured some very rare and valuable additions to his collection.

The collection is the largest owned by any individual in the city, and one of the largest in the state, and Mr. Huber certainly deserves great credit for getting together so many rare and interesting articles in this wide field of research.

Mr. Huber spent several years in the military service of his native country, and during 1860 and 1861 was a drillmaster in the German army. Shortly after reaching the United States he accepted the position of instructor in gymnasiums in Boston, Detroit and Grand Rapids, and also taught military tactics and general athletics in those and other institutions of similar character in Michigan and elsewhere.
Mr. Huber was married in Grand Rapids, December 29, 1885, to Miss Clara Martini. They have an interesting family of four children, as follows: Elsie, aged fourteen; Henry, aged twelve; Fritz, ten years old, and Clara, who has reached the age of eight years.

Mr. and Mrs. Huber are popular with the large number of people who daily resort to

the lake for recreation and rest, and, as already stated, have done their part in making the place attractive. They have many friends in the city and have mastered the art of entertainment to a very satisfactory degree.