History
A glance in the rearview mirror for the month of: February
25 years ago this month • The Stockbridge High School ice fishing team qualified for the Class B State Fishing Championship that was to be held on February 4, 1995. To qualify, they finished second at the MHSAA regional competition. Per the Town Crier, “The Panthers hooked a school record 52 fish, including 16 by […]
The Prosperity of Munith
by Ron and Arlene Kaiser The log house on the Sutton Farm owned by Hiram Sutton became the site for the depot of the Grand Trunk Railway in 1884 when it was built from Pontiac to Jackson. Seeing the possibilities afforded by the railway, Mr. Sutton platted his farm for the building of a new […]
A Victorian Christmas
by Arlene and Ron Kaiser Prince Albert wanted his wife, Queen Victoria, to know of the Christmas he enjoyed when he was a boy in Germany. Many magazines published “Victoria’s Christmas tree,” after which, the English and later the Americans warmed to German Christmas customs. On the Realy farm, Christmas was celebrated joyously. This family and many […]
Waterloo Farm Museum’s Pioneer Day draws large crowd
by Alex R. Weddon History came alive under deep blue Michigan skies Oct. 13 during the Waterloo Farm Museum’s annual Pioneer Day. The unique look at a time gone by drew hundreds of guests who strolled the farm grounds and nearby Dewey School. “This is as big a crowd as any I can remember,” said […]
Hometown hero: WWI casualty Leslie Richmond
by Richard Ramsdell Leslie Mack Richmond was born on a farm northwest of Stockbridge on March 16, 1895. His parents were Arthur Leslie Richmond and Phila J. Townsend. They moved to the village of Stockbridge in 1898. He served in the Michigan National Guard from 1915 to 1917, spending some time at the Mexican border. […]
Characters Come to Life in Cemetery Tour
By Dutch Ramsdill The eleventh annual tour of Oaklawn Cemetery took place September 22, 2019 on a warm Sunday afternoon. The Stockbridge Area Genealogical/Historical Society presented the program free of charge. The Society “brought to life” individuals from Stockbridge’s past using actors to tell their stories. The cast of characters, with actors in parentheses, […]
Munith One Man (and Woman) Phone Company
By Diane Rockall In 1939, citizens in the communities of Munith, Waterloo Township, and Jackson County were demanding a telephone company. Larger companies were unable or unwilling to provide service, as the cost of extending existent lines would not be met by the number of citizens to be covered. So Lynn Gorton, proprietor of the community general […]
The Communities of our Forefathers
by Ron and Arlene Kaiser Pioneer Day at the Waterloo Farm and Dewey School Museum is soon to arrive, so now is a good time to take a moment to remember the people who settled in Stockbridge, Gregory, Plainfield and Waterloo and myriad other small communities in this area. These communities are rich in history, […]
Grosshans/Kunzleman family keeps farming history alive
by Judy Williams Keeping farming history alive is a family affair for the Grosshans/Kunzleman family of Gregory. Three generations of family proudly care for their 120-year-old Russell steam engine. Early history has the farmer depending on the strength and durability of humans and animals such as horses, oxen, and mules. This changed with the invention […]
Looking Back September 2019 by Diane Rockall
by Diane Rockall As the new school year begins for the Stockbridge Community School District, this column looks back at how this community’s schooling structure began. In 1827 the then Michigan Territorial Legislature passed a law requiring all townships with populations in excess of 50 households to provide a teacher of “good moral standing” to […]