History
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 […]
Unadilla, a “Place of Meeting”
By Ron and Arlene Kaiser Names of the very first settlers that came from the east and took up land from the Government are still very well known today, as some of the descendants are still on the original farms or living nearby and many roads were named after these pioneer families. Eli Ruggles of […]
Randy Gladstone: Researching Michigan photographers for 0ver 24 years
by Diane Rockall Picture a serious, professional photographer captivated with historical photos and photographers. Next, imagine this artist making a living and building a life around taking and cataloging photographs of Michigan photographers. Randy Gladstone, born and raised in Plainfield, MI and a 1980 graduate of Stockbridge High School, fits this description to a […]
Stockbridge Area Arts Council provides entertainment and education to area
by Dick Borden – President, SAAC Since 1990, the Stockbridge Area Arts Council has enjoyed providing the best in entertainment and educational programs to Stockbridge and surrounding communities. From Dixieland jazz to dramatic readings of Charles Dickens; from operatic arias to banjo-picking bluegrass; from brass bands and string orchestras to community choruses – along with […]
Waterloo Farm Museum’s Blacksmiths, Soldiers, and Log Cabin Weekend
Story and Photos by Jenny Smith Young men in blue leveled their muskets and knelt among the trees near their encampment, but luckily for those in attendance, no blood was shed during last weekend’s Blacksmiths, Soldiers, and Log Cabin Weekend at the Waterloo Farm and Dewey School Museum. Instead visitors were treated to an […]