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Vergennes Township in Lowell in Kent County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
 

Lumbering

Where The Rivers Meet

 
 
Lumbering Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By J.T. Lambrou, February 28, 2023
1. Lumbering Marker
Inscription. The first sawmill in Lowell was built in 1856 by Seth Cogswell on the creek south of the Grand River. However, from the 1840's-1870, most of the logs went through Lowell on log drives which continued on down the Flat and Grand Rivers to sawmills in Grand Rapids and Grand Haven.

The lumbering boom across Michigan came to Lowell around 1870. King, Quick & King purchased a mill on the east bank of the Flat River north of Main Street in 1871. In early spring, logs were floated down the river into the log run. They were put on an elevator to enter the mill where they were sawn into lumber. The lumber exited by a second story tramway that brought it to the island in the middle of the river to be stacked and dried. The mill processed 50,000-60,000 board feet of lumber per day. A shingle mill was added on the island in 1879.

The lumbering era lasted only until the 1890s when Michigan's vast forests had been harvested and the lumber firms moved west to new forests.

Timeline
1839

Sawmill built on the Flat River at Fallasburg
1856
Sawmill built on creek south of Grand River in Lowell; soon purchased by John Kopf for his chair factory
1864
Dodge Lumberyard established
Mid 1860s
Water powered sawmill built by Reuben Quick & Cornelius Powlison on
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east bank of Flat River north of Main Street
1869
Tucker's Steam sawmill built on south bank of Grand River north of railroad depot
1871
Quick & Powlison replaced mill with steam powered mill, sold interests to King, Quick & King
1872
Dodge's Lumberyard purchased by King, Quick & King
1879
Shingle Mill added to King, Quick & King
1890
King, Quick & King office building moved to present location on Main Street to become King Milling Co. Office
1892
Last log run into Lowell

Early view of Lowell looking toward the Flat River crowded with logs. Note the small white building in the square. It was the office for King, Quick, & King. The building was later moved to its present location to be the King Milling Company office.

Cooking shanty on the Flat River south of Main St during the last log drive, 1892. Pioneer John Hooker is standing in the center.

Logging on Flat River. Logs were cut upstream in the winter and stacked on the riverbank. During the spring thaw, the logs were floated downstream to the sawmill in a massive log drive.
,br> King, Quick & King was a large complex which included the east bank of the Flat River as well as two islands in the middle of the river. The circular saw and steam engine were housed here. Note the tramway exiting
Lumbering Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By J.T. Lambrou, February 28, 2023
2. Lumbering Marker
from the left which transported the lumber to the lumberyard on the island. Note also the water barrels on the roof.

Map of Islands in Flat River, 1885
Lowell was a busy commercial center! Tis Sanborn map shows the King, Quick, King lumberyard and shingle mill, located on the two islands in the middle of the Flat River. The log run goes between the islands. The sawmill was located on the east bank near this signboard.
 
Erected by Lowell Area Historical Museum.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & ForestryIndustry & CommerceSettlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1856.
 
Location. 42° 56.132′ N, 85° 20.298′ W. Marker is in Lowell, Michigan, in Kent County. It is in Vergennes Township. Marker can be reached from North Monroe Street near Avery Street. The marker is on the riverwalk west of the Kent District Library. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 North Monroe Street, Lowell MI 49331, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Fur Traders (within shouting distance of this marker); Native Americans (within shouting distance of this marker); Early Settlers (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome to Lowell (within shouting distance
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of this marker); On The Bridge (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Lowell Veterans Memorial (about 400 feet away); Waterpower (about 400 feet away); Lowell Area Veterans Memorial (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lowell.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on March 5, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 4, 2023, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. This page has been viewed 61 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on March 4, 2023, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 29, 2024