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City of Ferrysburg Rev. William M. Ferry, founder of Grand Haven, is also credited with being the founding father of Ferrysburg. Ferrysburg was first called Ottawa Point and then Ferry's Point. In 1849, a new sawmill was constructed by William Ferry Jr. to make use of the assorted hard and soft woods available in the area. In 1855, Ferry finished construction of a new machine shop and foundry called the Ottawa Iron Works. They made steam engines and machines for the lumbering industry.On January 26, 1857, William Ferry Jr. and Thomas White Ferry, sons of Rev. Ferry, platted the Village of Ferrysburg. There were four streets running east and west -- 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Streets, and four running north and south -- Pine, Oak, Elm and Maple Streets. By 1881, the population had grown to four hundred eleven. Ferrysburg was described as a "thriving, busy little village, with flowers, shrubs, trees and white picket fences." At this time, there was a general store, a meat market and a post office on Pine and 3rd Streets. The Construction Materials Corp. was established in 1907 for obtaining and processing sand and gravel. Wooden scows, loaded by hand and wheelbarrows, were pushed by tug sixteen miles downstream from the Bass River gravel pits. The name was changed to Construction Aggregates Corporation in 1948 and was said to be the largest shipper of sand and gravel on the Great Lakes. |
A. P. Stegenga,
Mrs. A. P. Stegenga, Mrs. Johantje Stegenga
Popke M. Stegenga
of the Ferrysburg Area
Transcriber: Leslie Coulson
Created: 17 November 2005