Site of the
"Delt Shelter" from 1920-1966
Epsilon Chapter of
Delta Tau Delta Fraternity
First Fraternity chartered at
Albion College--1876 — — Map (db m177328) HM
Methodists obtained a charter for Spring Arbor Seminary from the Territorial Council of Michigan in March, 1835. Later the institution was established in Albion on land donated by Jesse Crowell, a leading Albion pioneer and benefactor. In 1841 the . . . — — Map (db m27744) HM
"The Old Rugged Cross," one of the world's best-loved hymns, was composed here in 1912 by the Rev. George Bennard (1873-1958). The son of an Ohio coal miner, Bennard was a lifelong servant of God, chiefly in the Methodist ministry. He wrote the . . . — — Map (db m27745) HM
It was in the spring of 1911 that two freshmen at Albion College, Byron D. Stokes and F. Dudleigh Vernor, wrote the words and music for a song they called "The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi." The song made a hit with their fraternity brothers, and . . . — — Map (db m27742) HM
(Front)
In February 1837 the Reverend Calvin Clark, a circuit riding pastor sent by the American Home Missionary Society, met with twenty-four persons and organized the Albion Presbyterian Church. The first church was built in 1840 on the . . . — — Map (db m28378) HM
Augustus P. Gardner (1817-1905), a wealthy hardware merchant, built this Victorian style house in 1875. A three-story, thirteen-room mansion with a mansard roof, it was Gardner's home until his death in 1905. In 1966, after decades of neglect, the . . . — — Map (db m116148) HM
In 1904 the Albion Malleable Iron Company began recruiting workers for its foundry. The arrival of six Russians from New York City marked the beginning of Albion's "Foreign Colony." By 1915 the Foreign Colony had grown to around 600 people of . . . — — Map (db m177134) HM
Michigan Centennial Business
This plaque is issued by the
Historical Society of Michigan
In recognition of
Homestead Savings &
Loan Association, F.A.
Founded in 1889
For more than 100 years of
Continuous operation in service . . . — — Map (db m184109) HM
Marker Front:
On May 13, 1877, the second Sunday of the month, Juliet Calhoun Blakeley stepped into the pulpit of the Methodist-Episcopal Church and completed the sermon for the Reverend Myron Daugherty. According to local legend, Daugherty . . . — — Map (db m27817) HM
The first burial in this cemetery occurred in 1837, the year Michigan became a state. The previous year, land developer Jesse Crowell had purchased a one and one-half-acre parcel; he later cleared it for burials. In 1842 Crowell sold the land to the . . . — — Map (db m177130) HM
The first house at what was then known as the "Forks of the Kalamazoo" was erected near this site by Tenney Peabody, a New Yorker. To this cabin with its thatched roof of grass from the banks of the nearby Kalamazoo River, Albion's first settler . . . — — Map (db m27815) HM
Orlando C. and Adeline Gale erected this house in 1862. Built in the Italianate style, the house reflects the Gale´s prominence. Orlando and his father and brothers owned a succession of hardware and farm implement businesses in Moscow, Jonesville, . . . — — Map (db m177131) HM
The Albion College Astronomical Observatory was built in 1883-84 at the urging of Dr. Samuel Dickie, who later became president of the college. Dickie helped raise $10,000 to build and equip the facility. The observatory still harbors its original . . . — — Map (db m27743) HM
The Starr Commonwealth Schools In 1913 Floyd Starr purchased forty acres of land on Montcalm Lake to found Starr Commonwealth for Boys, a nonprofit home and residential school for wayward, delinquent and neglected boys. At that time, the only . . . — — Map (db m177156) HM
This monument is a tribute to the men of the 94th Infantry Division WWII
In recognition of the outstanding war record of the 94th, the Michigan legislature designated on May 15, 2002 a 6 mile portion of 1-94 adjoining this rest stop as the . . . — — Map (db m217909) HM WM
In 1855 Elder James Brown and his wife, Radley, established an African Methodist Episcopal Church in Battle Creek. The congregation met in members’ homes until 1860 when it moved into a church on the northeast corner of Maple and Van Buren Streets. . . . — — Map (db m177260) HM
This tablet,
erected by the citizens
of
Battle Creek
in connection with
the Centennial Celebration,
1931,
marks the place
on which was builded, [sic]
in 1831,
the first dwelling
in
Battle . . . — — Map (db m177457) HM
Ernest W. Arnold designed this Beaux-Arts Classical-style city hall “to harmonize with the post office” located directly across Division Street. It was built in 1914 by Seirn B. Cole Construction at a cost of $305,000. The building’s interior is . . . — — Map (db m177335) HM
In September 1956, Battle Creek Community College opened near this site. Founded by Battle Creek Public Schools, it was originally housed in a Grand Army of the Republic Hall that was demolished in 1972. Begun with 176 full and part-time students . . . — — Map (db m177340) HM
The Battle Creek House, a stagecoach stop and the social and political hub of the settlement from 1836 to 1866, stood here. The balconied three-story inn was destroyed by a fire late in the 1860’s. In 1870 Daniel Reily put up a “solid brick” . . . — — Map (db m177277) HM
This firehouse, which opened on July 2, 1904, was the last one in the city to use horse-drawn equipment. Hubert C. Scofield, architect of Fire Station No. 3, designed the Richardsonian Romanesque building, built at a cost of $8,099. In 1917 the . . . — — Map (db m177261) HM
The second Battle Creek Post Office, one of Albert Kahn’s earliest commissions, opened in 1907. He designed the structure with reinforced concrete supports, an innovation he later used in his internationally renowned factory designs. The building’s . . . — — Map (db m177338) HM
Battle Creek Sanitarium The Battle Creek Sanitarium opened in 1866 as the Western Health Reform Institute. The institute was founded on health principles advocated by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. In 1876 Dr. John Harvey Kellogg became the . . . — — Map (db m177255) HM
This country schoolhouse, one of a vanishing type, was built in 1859 and named after Ira Beckley, an early settler. During the first year, thirty-three pupils used a library of forty-two books for a seven-month session. Instruction was offered in . . . — — Map (db m190180) HM
This farm has remained in the Bryant family since 1844 and retains much of its original Civil War era appearance. The ruins of stone fences erected without mortar still stand as a rare reminder of early settlement. Mary Bryant Mayo (1845-1903), . . . — — Map (db m178045) HM
C. W. Post A native of Springfield, Illinois, Charles William Post came to this city in 1891 as a patient at the Battle Creek Sanitarium. In 1892 he opened his own sanitarium and dedicated himself to developing and manufacturing healthy food . . . — — Map (db m177336) HM
This is Battle Creek, where the leading producers of ready-to-eat cereals are located. Early attempts to process grains into appetizing new foods for Sanitarium guests revolutionized the eating habits of people everywhere. Made in Battle . . . — — Map (db m177263) HM
Del Shannon In late 1960 the Hi-Lo Club, located on this site, “rocked” when the Charlie Johnson Band played Runaway for the first time. Johnson, whose real name was Charles Westover, was born in Grand Rapids and raised in Coopersville. . . . — — Map (db m177464) HM
Erastus Hussey Stationmaster
Erastus Hussey came to Michigan from New York State in 1824 and purchased land in Wayne County. Hussey returned to New York for a time, but in 1839 he and his wife, Sarah, purchased a building located about 125 . . . — — Map (db m177310) HM
The First Baptist Church, oldest church in Battle Creek, was organized in April 1835, with nineteen charter members. Meetings were held in the log schoolhouse the first few years. The present site was bought from Sands McCamley in 1843 for $275. The . . . — — Map (db m177332) HM
Congregationalists joined Presbyterians in organizing a church in 1836. When a split occurred in 1883, they formed the Independent Congregational Church. Chicago architect Joseph C. Llewellyn designed this Neo-classical church, built in 1907, to . . . — — Map (db m177272) HM
James S. and Ellen G. White were among the founders of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which was organized in Battle Creek in 1863. Long participants in the Adventist movement, they cam to Battle Creek in 1855 when the . . . — — Map (db m144851) HM
Kellogg Community College began in 1956 as Battle Creek Community College. It was housed in a Grand Army of the Republic Hall on College Street. Its enrollment quickly expanded beyond the location's capacity, and in 1958 city voters passed a millage . . . — — Map (db m177253) HM
Three generations of doctors made this structure their home. The attractive Victorian house was built by Dr. Arthur H. Kimball in 1886. Kimball, a city health official, came to this area in 1883. His son, Arthur S. Kimball, became Battle Creek’s . . . — — Map (db m177271) HM
The LaSalle Hotel opened in 1927 at 45-47 Capital Avenue, Southwest. The Hi-Lo Club was opened as a bar and "beer garden" in 1933. In 1954 the name was changed to the Gilbert Hotel. Rock-and-roll singer Del Shannon first performed his hit song, . . . — — Map (db m177461) HM
The first Methodist class in this area met in the home of Daniel Thomas in 1833. Three years later services were being held in the log schoolhouse. In 1841 the first structure for religious services in the village was built by the Methodists 150 . . . — — Map (db m177334) HM
The Michigan Central Railroad Depot opened on July 27, 1888. Rogers and McFarlane of Detroit designed the depot, one of several Richardsonian Romanesque-style stations the Michigan Central built between Detroit and Chicago in the late nineteenth . . . — — Map (db m177339) HM
Postum Cereal Company Charles William “C. W.” Post (1854-1914) began his breakfast empire in 1892 when he opened La Vita Inn sanitarium on this site. Post’s first commercial success occurred in 1894 when he created the hot beverage Postum. In . . . — — Map (db m177342) HM
Dedicated to the recipients of this nation's oldest military decoration The "Purple Heart"
My stone is red for
the blood they shed.
The medal I bear
is my country's way
to show they care.
If I could be seen
by all mankind
maybe peace . . . — — Map (db m189342) WM
Calling themselves the Second Baptist Society, a small group of Battle Creek African Americans worshipped in their homes prior to 1849. That year, led by the Reverends Parmelee and Harris of the white First Baptist Church, they officially organized . . . — — Map (db m177254) HM
This flamboyant Arts and Crafts style house was constructed in 1912. Its first resident, Seirn B. Cole (1861-1947), was a native of New Jersey. He and his wife, Elizabeth Farmer, lived in Detroit before they moved here where Cole was the contractor . . . — — Map (db m177341) HM
Battle Creek is closely identified with Adventist history. The first church built by Seventh-Day Adventists was erected here in 1855 and the General Conference organized in 1863. The denomination’s first world headquarters, publishing house, . . . — — Map (db m177259) HM
In memoriam Sojourner Truth, born a slave in Ulster Co. N.Y. in the 18th century, died in Battle Creek Mich. Nov. 26, 1883 aged about 105 years. "Is God Dead" S.T.
Formal dedication Nov. 26, 1997, 200th Anniversary — — Map (db m82266) HM
This monument was dedicated by the people of Battle Creek, Michigan, on September 25, 1999, to preserve the image and honor the legacy of Sojourner Truth (1797-1883), who lived in this area for the last 27 years of her life. Although she could . . . — — Map (db m177333) HM
The Quaker meetinghouse on this site was purchased at auction by local Catholics in 1863. St. Philip Roman Catholic Church has been on this corner since then. Its first school opened in 1880. The current Romanesque building, dedicated in 1930 after . . . — — Map (db m177273) HM
In 1839 Battle Creek’s first Episcopal service was conducted. Regular services were held in the schoolhouse after 1841 by the Rev. Montgomery Schuyler, then rector at Marshall. In appreciation he was given a team of horses. In 1842 Bishop Samuel . . . — — Map (db m177275) HM
Near this spot, facing the Indian Trail, the village’s first public school was erected in 1834. Built of logs, its floor, desks, and benches were constructed of lumber floated down the river from Bellevue’s sawmill. Warren B. Shepard, the first . . . — — Map (db m177313) HM
In Memoriam - U.S.S. Maine -
destroyed in Havana Harbor
February 15th 1898.
This tablet is cast from metal recovered from the U.S.S. Maine. — — Map (db m70051) HM
World War I created the need for increased medical care for returning soldiers. Veterans Hospital No. 100, a 500-bed neuropsychiatric facility that opened in 1924 on the grounds of Fort Custer, originally consisted of twenty-two Neo-Georgian . . . — — Map (db m190181) HM
Ward Mill Site In 1845 Joseph M. Ward (1822-1902) joined William Fargo in a livery and freight business, located on the corner of State and Jefferson Streets. In 1849, Ward bought an interest in a woolen mill on the nearby creek, which he . . . — — Map (db m177321) HM
Opened on April 27, 1905, the Charles Willard Library building was given to the Battle Creek Schools and community from the estate of Charles Willard. Architect J.C> Llewellyn designed the two-story classical structure, constructing it from terra . . . — — Map (db m177458) HM
Formerly spanning the Rabbit River in Hopkins Township, Allegan County, Michigan, this bridge is known as the 133rd Avenue Bridge. It was built in 1897 by the Michigan Bridge Company of Portland, Michigan, owned by Samuel S. Ramsey and his son. In . . . — — Map (db m215787) HM
This brick structure with arched windows and a decorative cornice was built in 1876, five years after Homer incorporated as a village. A fire station, jail, and city offices initially occupied the building which is located in the center of the . . . — — Map (db m78879) HM
The First Presbyterian Church of Homer was organized with thirty-four members under the direction of the Reverend Elijah Buck in 1838. Shortly afterwards, services were held in the “Session House,” which served the group until 1853, when the . . . — — Map (db m223759) HM
In memory of the men & women who have served our country in World War II
Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his country — — Map (db m226158) WM
This site on Territorial Road was a gift of Seeley Neal (1778-1862) from 640 acres acquired from the government in 1831. Neal, a veteran of the War of 1812, built the first log house in the township. His was the first family to locate in the . . . — — Map (db m226150) HM
This stone marks the
"Old Territorial Road"
one of the two trails over which
emigration came into Michigan
Mary Marshall Chapter, D.A.R.
dedicates it to the
pioneer men and women
of Calhoun County — — Map (db m216537) HM
Presto-Change-O! From saloon to billiard parlor, to clothing store, to bakery, to museum, this edifice, built in 1868, has known many transformations. Since April Fools' Day 1978 it has housed a unique collection that celebrates the magician's arts . . . — — Map (db m28371) HM
Chauncey M. Brewer immigrated
from upstate New York in 1836 at
the age of 21 years. He was elected
Marshall's first Treasurer in 1838 and
by occupation was a prosperous
dry goods merchant with associates
which included his sons, C.D. and . . . — — Map (db m190086) HM
W.D. Robinson •
J. C. (Yankee) Thompson •
Sam Keith •
Linus Keith •
Tommy Nixon •
Sam Amlar •
Tom Faulkner •
John Brown •
Henry Larthrop •
Henry Hall •
John McCurdy •
Uriah Stevens
History of The Brotherhood of Locomotive . . . — — Map (db m216517) HM
Butler-Boyce House This handsome Italian Villa, with paired arched windows, is adorned with combined cupola and railing. Edward Butler (1814-1881) merchant, banker and first treasurer of Calhoun County, built the residence in 1858-61 on land . . . — — Map (db m177249) HM
Near This Spot
900 Feet North, 8° East
Stood The Cabin
Of
Adam Crosswhite
The Scene Of An Attempted
Slave Recovery
January 26, 1847
This Affair
With Others Of Like Nature
Led To The Passing Of The
Fugitive Slave Law . . . — — Map (db m177179) HM
First held in 1839, the Calhoun County Fair has continued to this day as one of Michigan’s foremost agricultural attractions. Floral Hall, the oldest building on the fairgrounds, was constructed in 1860 in the then-popular octagon style. The wings . . . — — Map (db m225528) HM
This 1860 building is the last of three Gothic Revival schools in Marshall. The name comes from its location on a site proposed for the Michigan state capitol. Donated to the Marshall Historical Society by the Board of Education in 1967, it is today . . . — — Map (db m177162) HM
Gorham (1812-1901) came to Marshall in 1836 from New York State. First a merchant, he became a banker and in 1865 organized the First National Bank of Marshall, now the Michigan National Bank. He was a defendant in the famous Crosswhite fugitive . . . — — Map (db m225807) HM
Isaac E. Crary (1804-1854) was a young
Connecticut lawyer who came to Marshall
in 1834 and was Michigan's first member
of the U.S. House of Representatives at
the time of statehood in 1837. In 1835
he teamed with Rev. John D. Pierce . . . — — Map (db m190362) HM
The Eagle Block, built in 1867, housed five storefronts and a millinery. In April 1870, the Eagle Opera House opened on its third floor with "The Naiad Queen" operetta. The theater hosted a variety of live shows through 1903. That year, on . . . — — Map (db m177220) HM
The Reverend Thomas Z.R. Jones, a traveling missionary, began visiting the Marshall area in 1838. On January 16, 1840, he helped organize the First Baptist Church of Marshall with eight members. The group erected this church in 1850-51. They . . . — — Map (db m225881) HM
First Courthouse Established in 1829, Calhoun County made Marshall its county seat in 1831. It built its first courthouse on this site between 1837 and 1840. Designed in the Greek Revival style, the building had a rectangular footprint with four . . . — — Map (db m177324) HM
Gauss Ice House In 1883, J. Fred Gauss (1838-1902) bought an ice house 500 feet east of here. He harvested ice blocks from the Kalamazoo River’s mill pond, using sleds and horses to move them. In 1894, he added a steam-powered elevator to move . . . — — Map (db m177174) HM
James Wright Gordon settle in Marshall in 1835. In 1839, as a legislator, he nominated Marshall to the the State Capitol and constructed what is now known as the Governor's Mansion across the street from the proposed Capitol Hill. He was elected . . . — — Map (db m177331) HM
Charles T. Gorham (1812-1901) came to Marshall with Chauncey Brewer and opened the Eagle Store in 1836. A native of Danbury, Connecticut, he opened Gorham's Exchange Bank in 1840. He was convicted for aiding escaped slave Adam Crosswhite and his . . . — — Map (db m190363) HM
State Senator James Wright Gordon built this Greek Revival house in 1839, the year he introduced a bill to make his town state capital. Land near his house had been selected for the capitol grounds. Marshall’s hopes were not fulfilled but Gordon . . . — — Map (db m177157) HM
In 1866 northern Civil War veterans organized the Grand Army of the Republic to fight for veterans' pensions and other benefits. Michigan's first chapter was formed the next year. National membership peaked in 1890 with 409,489 men, while . . . — — Map (db m28380) HM
Harold C. Brooks
Harold Craig Brooks (1885-1978) was Marshall's mayor from 1925 to 1931, patron, and philanthropist. His interest in city beautification set a standard for preservation and adaptive use as early as 1921. He owned and . . . — — Map (db m225783) HM
This plaque is issued by the
Historical Society of Michigan
in recognition of
Hemmingsen Rexall Drug Store
Founded in 1855
for more than 100 years of
continuous operation in service
to the people of Michigan
and for contributing . . . — — Map (db m183894) HM
Randall Hobart arrived in Marshall
in 1831 as a lay preacher who helped
organize the local Methodist Church.
He served as the Justice, who delayed
the Kentucky slave hunters long
enough to allow the Adam Crosswhite
family to escape to Ontario . . . — — Map (db m189341) HM
Abner Pratt settled in Marshall in 1839 and in the 1850s became Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court. In 1857-59 he was United States Consul to the Sandwich (Hawaiian) Islands. Returning home, he built this house in 1860 to recreate the island . . . — — Map (db m28384) HM
Horace Perrin Horace J. Perrin (1819-1880) was a prominent businessman and industrialist. Born in New York State, Perrin settled in Marshall in 1846 and founded a general store in the city’s growing downtown. An accomplished financier, he also . . . — — Map (db m177173) HM
Howard F. Young (1889-1934), a native of Allegan, designed this Marshall post office building in 1932. Young studied engineering at the University of Michigan and was involved in construction work in Albany, New York, Detroit and Kalamazoo. His . . . — — Map (db m28390) HM
The murals to the right, depict the history of
this Michigan Avenue business site.
The interurban depot was located here
from 1903 until 1929 at which time the
electric railway went out of business.
Richard C. Walters, Sr. purchased the
vacant . . . — — Map (db m216526) HM
Isaac E. Crary and John D. Pierce
When attorney Isaac E. Crary came to Marshall in 1832 from Connecticut, he became fast friends with another transplanted easterner, the Reverend John D. Pierce. Interested in government and education, . . . — — Map (db m225763) HM
Michigan's first congressman lived here from the early 1840s until his death in 1854. Located on lots one and two, original plat, lower village, the house was a wedding gift from his father-in-law, Judge Abner Pratt. Arriving here in 1831, Crary . . . — — Map (db m226057) HM
James A. Miner, born in Marshall in 1842, began studying law in Clinton, Iowa, in 1860. Completing his studies in Marshall, he was admitted to the Calhoun County bar in 1863. There he was circuit court commissioner (1866-1870) and prosecuting . . . — — Map (db m28393) HM
Jeremiah Cronin Jr. House This picturesque residence was erected in 1872 for Marshall merchant Jeremiah Cronin, Jr., and his wife, Susan. Local contractor Frederick N. Church constructed this house, as well as Cronin’s 1869 Michigan Avenue . . . — — Map (db m177247) HM
On this foundation stood the log house of the Reverend John D. Pierce. Born in New Hampshire, Pierce moved to Marshall in 1831, where he founded the Congregational church. In 1834 he and Isaac Crary designed Michigan's school system, and from 1836 . . . — — Map (db m28394) HM
In 1831 Sidney and George Ketchum located here on Rice Creek. This first settlement in Marshall consisted of a water-powered sawmill and log cabins. Until the twentieth century this was an important industrial area, containing at various times a . . . — — Map (db m177154) HM
Named for Sidney (1797-1862) and George (1794-1853) Ketchum, the brothers who created Marshall. A land surveyor and developer, Sidney obtained the grants around Rice Creek to create and name Marshall. George, an engineer for the Ohio and Chesapeake . . . — — Map (db m177176) HM
This American Liberty Elm was named after "The Liberty Tree: Our Country's first Symbol of Freedom." On the morning of August 14, 1765, the people of Boston awakened to discover two effigies suspended from an elm tree in protest of the hated Stamp . . . — — Map (db m189895) HM
Lieutenant George A. Woodruff (1840-1863) graduated early from West Point because of the start of the Civil War. Young Woodruff served valiantly with the Army of the Potomac. At Gettysburg he was mortally wounded while defending the center of . . . — — Map (db m28395) HM
Lockwood Family New York State native Isaac Lockwood (1800-1873) came to Marshall in 1831. By 1858 he owned 480 acres of land. He and his wife, Elvira, had eight children. Their sons Peter, Augustus, and Henry were also farmers and like Isaac, . . . — — Map (db m177250) HM
In 1837 Marshall founder, Sidney Ketchum, built the first brick home in Calhoun County. This "Mansion House" later served as a dormitory for the Young Ladies Institute until acquired and remodeled in 1861 by Charles P. Dibble, who called his estate . . . — — Map (db m181906) HM
Founded in 1831 by Sidney Ketchum and settles from New York and New England, the town was named in honor of Chief Justice John Marshall. Townsmen Isaac Crary and the Rev. John Pierce planned in 1834 the innovative Michigan public school system. . . . — — Map (db m28450) HM
In Memoriam
We pay reverent tribute to those from
Marshall High School
Who made the supreme sacrifice
In World War II
1941-1945
Richard Alexander, Raymond Hammond, William D. Barnes, Lawrence hazel, Thomas C. Brownfield, John P. . . . — — Map (db m177322) WM
This memorial is dedicated to honor those of the community who served in time of war, and to perpetuate the memory of those who made the supreme sacrifice for God and country — — Map (db m189902) WM
In honor of
the men of this
organization who
gave their lives
for their
country
Richard Alexander •
William S. Nelson, Jr. •
Paul D. Orr •
R. D. Shore •
Harold Vincent — — Map (db m216862) WM