Worden History

In 1917, the small town of Worden consisted of a church, a school (built in 1880), a blacksmith shop, and a sawmill. All were destroyed by a devestating tornado that struck on June 6, 1917.

The church, and the school were rebuilt and a small store was built on the northeast corner of Pontiac Trail and 5 Mile Road. (The store was empty when I moved to the area in about 1946 and stood empty until about 1957 when Browne's Neon Sign company started a business there. (The business is now in the old schoolhouse).

A dirt-floor gas station was built on the southeast corner of Pontiac Trail and 5 Mile Road and had the sign of the flying red horse out in front. The picture to the right shows the destruction of the Church after a tornado in 1917.

The destruction of the Church after a tornado in 1917

Salem Farmer's Club of 1921, with the Church in the background

Featured in the picture: Front row sitting: Bruce Rorabacher, Winifred Thompson, Curtis Hamilton, (standing child) Ms. Mason, Dora Nelson, Etta Johnson, Golden Bender (holding Edwin Hamilton) Mrs. Davy, Hazel Brown, Mary Geiger, Gertrude Brown, Anna Thompson. Standing: Unknown, Wilford Thompson, Karl Geiger, DeForest Thompson, James Davy, Gilbert Thompson, Hallie Peebles, Nelson Bender, Will Naylor, Erving Johnson, Erving Hamilton, Lucille Hamilton, Philip Wittick, Unknown, Frank Geiger, Unknown. Back Row: Ms. Fisher, Edith Rorabacher, Louella Peebles.

The Second Worden Church

The second Worden Church was rebuilt in 1918. Leaded windows were donated by Henry Ford. In 1936 this church and the parsonage across the road were struck by lightening and both burned to the ground. Neither were ever rebuilt.

When I lived in Worden the only thing left of the church was an old stone cellar which has been filled in years later and now used as part of the cemetery. The parsonage was just an old stone chimney and never rebuilt.

A special "Thank you" to Char who wrote the commentary above and who also generously donated the entire reading of the Worden Cemetery.

This data, like each new piece of information, must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence & it is always best to consult original primary material for verification.