A supplement of the Sesquicentennial Celebration from the Big Rapids Pioneer Newspaper. Used with permission.

SESQUICENTENIAL INDEX
PART I -AGRICULTURE

Tractor Company was a staple
First Farm
Clearing the Land
Building the Barns
Mecosta County Fair
Hard Work Helpers
Early Farm Homesteads
Blacksmiths and Boarding
Tending to the Animals
Bean Buyers
Pickle Packers
4-H has a long history in County
Farm Tools Plus
Pulling Power
Cream of the Crop
Doorstep Dairy Delivery
Crop Crews
Darrah Mills - The Maker of White Lily Flour
Labor of the Land - Stanwood Amish link the past with the present

PART II -BUSINESS

Clock, fountain help anchor downtown
Pioneer County's Oldest Business
Past Chamber Presidents
Busy, Busy Downtown
Streetscape Brings new Vitality to Downtown
Malls attract shoppers to the outer edges, beyond
De-annexation affirms growth in township
Eastside Business District growing too
Fill'er up and clean the windows please
A Cut and a Shave
Eateries for all tastes
Former Eateries include Burch's Cafe
Growing list of Grocers who have come and Gone
Changing stores for changing times
Simple Signs
Amish survival in global economy
Urban Renewal - Changing the face of time
Big Rapids banking has a storied past
Old Northern National Bank still utilized as bank building

PART III - CULTURE

Big Rapids and County know how to celebrate
Celebrating Special Days in special ways
Dance invite provides tales for Earlier times
From the picnic basket
Fern Grange historic landmark of Colfax Township
Play for All
Big Rapids Rotary organized in 1923 with Past Presidents
Circus Coming to town
Historical Groups preserve county's history
Bringing the Arts to the people
Lumberjack songs celebrated daily life - or exaggerated it
The Band plays on
Life today would have amazed, bewildered those of yesteryears- Town of Rodney
Big Rapids High School Orchestra
Big Rapids Masonic Lodge founded in 1866, still active today
Ferris students add to culture
Everybody loves a parade
Strike up the bands
Promos from the Past
Variety the spice of life

PART IV - EDUCATION

Ferris State University
What's in the names at Ferris State
Ferris State University Presidents
It all began with four - Chippewa Hills School District consolidated in 1967
Morley Stanwood consolidated in 1958
First frame school built in 1859
Lydia Wilder first teacher in Grant Township
Titus School memories span seven-plus decades
The Little River story lives on
Still sits the school house by the side of the road (Little River)
Education important to the Amish community
Teaching comes full circle at Pursley one-room school
Life in a one-room school
Library system evolves from beginnings in 1876
St. Mary, St. Peter Schools both established for more than a century
Public Schools have long tradition in Big Rapids
Superintendents of Big Rapids Public Schools
Elementary Schools in Big Rapids today
Other Schools
The oldest and the new

PART V - GOVERNMENT

Mecosta County Government - From rented space to courthouse, to county building.
Government Boards
Mecosta County Building replaced courthouse in 1970
Other Mecosta County Building Locations
County Officials
Past Sheriffs
Historic Jail oldest government structure in Big Rapids
Newest Mecosta County Jail just keeps on growing
State Senators and Representatives
Judges have long history in Big Rapids
Old papers provide glimpse into history of Big Rapids
Early additions to Big Rapids
Post Office Crew in 1900
Aviation in Big Rapids has been a flip flop affair
Big Rapids first in state with city manager government
First City Officials
Garbage, Garbage was everywhere
A ring to the past
What's the Buzz
Keeping the city in shape
Dan Vincent chief of 1905 fire department
Public Safety combines police and fire departments

PART VI - BIG RAPIDS & MECOSTA COUNTY

Big Rapids and Mecosta County just keep on growing
Pine Stumps only headstones of men who harvested forests
The life of a shanty boy
Women in lumber camps were the exception not the rule
Lumberjack Jargon
The big wheels were not an area invention
Numerous firms supported the logging industry
Hardwood a savior after exhaustion of pine forests
The use of hardwood
Inventors of Big Rapids include John Hanchett
Among the early patents
Big Rapids Iron Works became a thriving business for Fairman
Gas History dates back to 1880's
Hanchett owned a pharmacy business, raised prize winning horses
The dams - the beginning of an industrial town
1838 Industrial employees in Mecosta County in 2005
Big Rapids Furniture tradition
Furniture factories and the beat goes on

PART VII - HEALTH CARE

Fire claimed three hospitals
Private Homes serve health care needs
Hospitals in city houses
Community hospital evolves and grows
Hospital Auxiliary a million dollar friend
Femus Follies just one of many fund raisers
Gray Ladies evolve during World War II
Brown volunteering at hospital for 46 years
Daniel F. Woolley first pioneer physician
Leland Hickox - Proud to be a small town practioner
Pharmacies battle for business as Michigan Avenue neighbors
Ambulance services - From farm wagons to helicopters
Line of succession - Rogers Mohnke Funeral Home
Emergency services of yesteryears
Hospital 126 years in the making
Yo-Landa Big Rapids entry into mineral water
Remembering the 106 year old 'herb' expert
From hospital to community center
Hospital served Stanwood area for decades

PART VIII - TRANSPORTATION

Getting to Big Rapids was a treachous trip
William Griffith was a Stage Coach Driver
Bridge a floating memory
Dial-A-Ride celebrates 30 years of service to the city
The age of the automobile has come a long, long way
Early Auto Sales
Railroads brought cheaper transportation to the wilderness
Stimpson's Junction
Roben Hood Airport
All Aboard - From Big Rapids to Rodney and back
Library card catalogue provides chronology of bridges
When was the first bridge built in Big Rapids
County Road Commission dates back to 1917
Mighty Muskegon River was a transportation link
Binney's oldest auto parts business
Old toll road not so popular
Auto Club provided early travel route thru BR
Out with the old and in with the new

PART IX - MILITARY & NATURAL DISASTERS

Big Rapids overcomes natural disasters
Mitchell Creek flood waters not unusual
PBB: Dead cows, angry farmers, confused consumers result in agriculturre disaster
The great ice storm of 1922
Snow, snow, and more snow
Memories of winds and tornadoes
In 1974 and more
Camp Big Rapids: Mecosta County CCC camp was located near Rogers Dam
Ice Jams dangerous
River's power claims dam
A legend that never dies - Infamous criminal Jesse James
Ordinance No. 3. 1875: The villain triumphs again
Drowning was Big Rapids first recorded tragedy
The great flood of logs of 1881
First auto mishap
Fire Department rises from ashes of 1869 fire
203 Mecosta County soldiers have died protecting county
Military buildings and memorials continue to change
All War Memorial
Tales from the crypt
PART X - ALL AROUND THE COUNTY

It's all in the name, Big Rapids, Leonard, Glen Elm, Big Rapids Township, Leonard Township
Mecosta County Chronology
After the timber towns
The townships One by One
Barryton once a hustling, bustling town
Canadian Lakes: Don Bollman's dreams come true
Indians wintered in area
Chippewa Lake: Booming resort town of years past
Russell Kirk and the House on Piety Hill
Johncox first settler in Mecosta Village area
Morley history based on railroads, lumbering
Proclaimed smallest bank in Michigan
Railroad slighted Millbrook in favor of West Millbrook
Paris, Green Township history begins in 1850
Bingen, Buckshoey, Remus Same great community
Marie Cummings
The Buffalo Doctor
Early Rodney a busy and prosperous town
Rogers Heights: Sands of time leave mark on river
Stanwood another railroad town
Mecosta County towns, past and present

PART XI - MUSKEGON RIVER GOVERNMENT

Muskegon River just flowing through time
Runners bring state titles to Big Rapids area
Outdoor recreation abounds: Some things never change
A long, long way
Meceola Country Club was the first in the area in 1920
Kenny Lane: a member of World Boxing Hall of Fame
Mecosta County Road and Gun Club offers something for everyone
Hunting and fishing for entertainment and necessity
Former player, fan remember 1940 Weidman state champions
County parks offer variety of outdoor fun
William and Ed Smith ran Clear Lake Resort
Ferris Hall of Famers have impact on area
Old Paris Fish Hatchery now part of county park
The swimming Hole from Mitchell Creek to an Olympic Pool
Recreational Paradise
Martiny Lakes
Sports Hall of fame induction ceremonies tradition since 1987
Blue Lakes Lodge - An historical remnant of the Tri Lakes area

PART XII - CHURCHES HOMES & PEOPLE

City Churches have long varied history
Immanuel Lutheran merger of three churches
St. Mary congregation begins building in 1869
Wall of Fame
County named after Chief Mecosta
Womens Firsts
Mecosta County stands as most American of all
The Stanwood Amish
City, County, townships pass resolutons paying tribute to pioneer families
Housing Commission founded in 1963
Early City homes feature a variety of architecture
GFWC Home Tour to feature six historic structures

Return to Home Page