Totem Pole Tales-Trails Tales of Pioneer Settlers of Allis Part VIII Submitted by Nute Chapman From Onaway Outlook February 15, 2013

CAPTION #1:  THIRD-GRADE STUDENTS at Roberts School 1921-22.



CAPTION #2:  FOURTH-GRADE STUDENTS at the Roberts School 1921-22.



CAPTION #3:  SEVENTH-GRADE STUDENTS, from left are Willard Wemer, Wilma Wemer, Helen Pangburn and Morgan 
Benaway.




   Unpublished by Oscar Adelbert Roberts and edited by daughter Ruth (Roberts) Schmidt Part VIII


   As we bring our readers the last article of Trail Tales, I would like to make a few comments about the 
intersection of the County Line, North Allis Highway and the surrounding area.


   There was the Allis Post Office in the area of Lou Harrison's home, formerly the Lonsdale home.  This was 
also a stagecoach stop and later the Northern Michigan Railroad came through Lou's yard and on to the quarry 
and around the lake to Fowlerville.


   The other post office in this area was at the Charlie Hutchinson property.   This site today is occupied by 
the Don Schlafmans and most of our readers will remember that the Guy Purdys lived there for many years.  This 
post office was called Arva and was also a general store and library.


   The Friends Church was located on the northwest side of the County Line.  This church was on the property 
now belonging to Floyd Booths.  This church was sold to North Allis Township for $200 and moved to its present 
location on M-211 and is still the township hall. This building was moved to M-211 by Charley Bonz and his son 
George.  When talking to George about this building, he told me that they made many trips to his dad's boathouse 
at the end of the County Line to haul sand from the lake to the site on 211, because of all the stone at this 
location.They needed sand for the footings.


   The hill that is on the County Line south is known today as the "Hart Hill."  My family has had many sledding 
parties on this hill.  It would not be safe to try this today.  I would have to venture that the name Hart Hill 
came from Charlie Hart who owned the 80 acres from the corner of Twin School and County Line, north of the Purdy 
Road, in the early 1900s.


  When Ben Avery had his sawmill at the foot of this hill, it was simply called "The Big Hill."  The springs that 
flow from this area from what is called Spring Creek.  This creek crosses Purdy Road and then crosses the County 
Line Road and then Hutchinson Road and flows north and joins the Stoney Creek.


   Between what is know as the "School Forty" and the Bill Morgans on the south side of North Allis is where Little 
Bear Lake was located.  The late Cliff Roberts talked about ice-skating on this lake.


   The last small flock of prairie hens that I remember could be seen on the Charlie Hutchinson Farm, now owned by 
the Dale Chapps.


   The first release of wild turkeys in Presque Isle and Cheboygan counties was on the County Line near where Spring 
Creek crosses onto the Larry Cox Farm.


   We have lots of history to write about this area, like the "Dance Hall" at Charlie Bonz's, the "Lime Kilns" at the 
quarry and the "Haunted House" on the stone cliffs at the park.


  
 -From The Onaway Outlook, February 15, 2013, p. 3.  
    

Retyped by J. Anderson.