The Village Of Highland Station

The Village Of Highland Station. . In 1872 Almon Ruggles and Germain St. John platted a village called Highland Centre on land between Milford Road and the new railroad. They named two of the village's streets after themselves, while a third honored late Governor Henry H. Crapo. Crapo's Flint and Holly Railroad had recently merged with the Flint and Pere Marquette, which in turn helped complete the Holly, Wayne and Monroe Railway through Highland Township in 1871. The new village grew quickly and on January 1, 1874, post office at Spring Mills was relocated here and renamed Highland Station., In 1880 John B. Crouse and Henry A. Tremaine built the Highland Pickle Works on East Livingston Road just east of the tracks, while in 1881 Mary Ann Needham began making pickles at her home at the north end of town. Her business became the Domestic Pickle Works, later owned by her son Charles E. Needham. Another son, William Needham, Jr. started producing his own “U-Need-Um” brand name. While the Highland Pickle Works burned in 1896, the Needham family made pickles until the 1960’s., In 1882 John B. Crouse platted an addition southwest of the original village. McPherson and Clark streets were named for two Highland pioneer families. King Street honored Thomas F. King, manager of the Highland Pickle Works, while John Street was named for Crouse and his son., By 1900 Highland Station could boast a township hall, depot, grain elevator, stockyard, pickle works, woodworking mill, hotels, stores, churches and a school. Construction of M-59 in 1936 bypassed the village to the north, sparing the original downtown. The post office was renamed simply Highland in 1903, Highland Station continues to be used to refer to the historic portion of the village.