Historical Markers and War Memorials in Union City, Michigan
Coldwater is the county seat for Branch County
Union City is in Branch County
Branch County(79) ► ADJACENT TO BRANCH COUNTY Calhoun County(138) ► Hillsdale County(66) ► Kalamazoo County(100) ► St. Joseph County(55) ► LaGrange County, Indiana(15) ► Steuben County, Indiana(56) ►
Touch name on this list to highlight map location. Touch blue arrow, or on map, to go there.
In 1923, when the Riley Dam was built in the St. Joe to create hydro for the village, the 500+ acre backwater was known only as the “Municipal Pond.” There had not been enough time to clear the swampy land before damming, so trees were cut flush . . . — — Map (db m95243) HM
At this point the Coldwater and St. Joe Rivers join, creating their namesake “Union” City. In the late 1820s a road surveying party following the Washtenaw Indian Trail that later became M-60 stumbled upon this junction and returned giving a . . . — — Map (db m95217) HM
In June 1925, 178 members of the Alumni Association gave donations of $970.19 to purchase Davis Field for construction of a track, baseball diamond, tennis courts and football field. In 1926, the land was donated to the school, and on June 14, . . . — — Map (db m95226) HM
The Blue Star Veteran’s Park Memorial up and to the left was once the site of one of Union City’s most important industries. Established in 1901, Caille Richards Co. was part of a large international company with headquarters in Detroit and . . . — — Map (db m95219) HM
Union City’s infamous “Carp Rodeo” festival, a fundraiser for lake improvements, had several reincarnations around the area. The earliest ones were believed to have been held on Haughly Drive in the 1960s. In the 1980s, you could find the part in . . . — — Map (db m195160) HM
In August of 1966, Arnold “Jack” and Rosemary Shaffer
purchased from Mae and Blanche Miller & Ray Chivas Chivas Grocery, which had stood on this corner for more than 30 years with a barbershop on the 2nd floor. Whitlock Shoes occupied the . . . — — Map (db m95228) HM
The first wooden bridge was built across the Coldwater River in 1843 with a steel bridge erected about 1895. The current bridge was constructed in the late 1950s. The Coldwater River starts from Coldwater Lake and meanders northwest 29.5 miles . . . — — Map (db m95164) HM
Union City's own “Daniel Boone,” Austin “Skinny” Bullock (1908-77), moved into this, his beloved Elkhorn Lodge, on the first day of
summer in 1952. He was a colorful
local legend who loved to hunt, trap and fish, earning his living by . . . — — Map (db m95241) HM
On March 7, 1837, the Reverend Calvin Clark of Homer led sixteen people in organizing the First Congregational Church of Union City. The congregation is likely the oldest of this denomination in the state. This Romanesque Revival building dates from . . . — — Map (db m65805) HM
In 1872, the Village Council made an appropriation of $1500 to purchase the first fire fighting equipment, a hand fire engine hose cart and 500 ft. of hose. The engine was christened “The St. Joseph” and a 43 member volunteer department was . . . — — Map (db m95218) HM
1926 UCHS graduate and creative
entrepreneur, Gerald Davison (1908-75) was the founder of Duo Coach Trailer (Marker #12). Upon selling that enterprise, he designed and built many unique Frank Lloyd Wright style homes in Union City and on Sycamore . . . — — Map (db m95240) HM
In the 1800s, Union City was the head to 170 miles of busy commerce on the St. Joe. Large freight barges poled by 8 men as well as steamers carried grain, pork, whiskey, flour, hides, furs, pig iron and
other goods manufactured along its banks . . . — — Map (db m95227) HM
Long before European settlement and Union City, the St. Joe was known by Native Americans as the River of the Miamis. It was an important resource for water, game, fish and transportation. The origin of the St. Joe is found in the lake in Hillsdale . . . — — Map (db m95242) HM
Thanks to late 1800s area artist J.P. Palmer, many local river scenes were preserved in watercolor and oil. Moving here at age 10 from New York, he went on to study at Albion College and the Chicago Art Institute. His paintings were in great demand . . . — — Map (db m95653) HM
There was a trestle here for a narrow gauge railway from Turtle Lake, 2 miles to the north, to the cement factory in the SE corner of town for transporting marl. The railway crossed both the St. Joe and Coldwater Rivers. Peerless Portland Cement . . . — — Map (db m95167) HM
Early surveying parties sent out
on the Washtenaw trail, which
became M-60, took back glowing accounts of the potential for
water power at the junction of the two rivers and this quick stretch named the Coldwater Rapids.
The first race was . . . — — Map (db m95207) HM
Built in the early 1870s near the depot on Railroad St., the Riverside Hotel was first known as the Johnson House. It was moved to this location by teams of horses and oxen while rolling on logs. The two long verandas were then added. Before its . . . — — Map (db m95221) HM
Organized in 1923, The Women’s
Tuesday Club was committed to “the
promotion of
literary, scientific, social and civic
pursuits . . .” In 1957, under the leadership of Lillian Schwendener, they began realizing a dream of a family-type park. . . . — — Map (db m95166) HM
The Arbogast Bridge is considered the east end of Union Lake. The wetlands surrounding the bridge are significant habitat to many types of birds and waterfowl. Keep your eye peeled for swans, sandhill cranes, loons, cormorants, heron, egrets, . . . — — Map (db m95400) HM
The first Broadway Bridge was constructed of wood in 1835. It was replaced with a steel structure in 1876. One of the largest bridges in Branch Co., it was washed out in the flood of 1908. Many locals who had been observing the floodwaters below . . . — — Map (db m95220) HM
On March 4,1908, heavy rains on top of 24" of snow followed by a thaw caused the rivers to spill over 4" above their highest known levels, submerging large sections of the village. The Broadway Bridge collapsed into the swollen river and was swept . . . — — Map (db m95156) HM
Late in the seventeenth century, early French voyageurs made use of the entire length of the St. Joe in their push westward. The French built forts on the river at St. Joseph (1679) and Niles (1691) as strongholds for the fur trade. A memoir to the . . . — — Map (db m95224) HM
The Park Street Bridge was the second bridge built in Union City and originally wooden. The first steel span was erected in 1905. It was removed and replaced in 1974 with a new bridge at the cost of $141,000. The new bridge was renamed the Spencer . . . — — Map (db m95225) HM
In 1833 just behind this home a livery was first
deeded to feed and stable local horses. In 1913 it was known as Bell Livery Stable. In 1937, Mr. Densmore converted the livery to The St. Joe Tavern after moving the bar business from the Riverside . . . — — Map (db m95397) HM
The Titlow House
was built on this site in 1845, originally
containing a store
and meat market
before the conversion
to a hotel in 1867. In 1915, it was razed to make way for Spoore’s Ford Garage. It was subsequently owned by Engle . . . — — Map (db m95206) HM
(West Side)
To the Memory of
Our Fallen Heroes
1861 - 1865
Erected May 30th, 1884
(South Side)
Franklin
Pitssburg Landing (sic)
Nashville
(East Side)
Atlanta
Mission Ridge
Vicksburg
. . . — — Map (db m65840) WM
The Union City Creamery was established in July 1901 as a
co-operative enterprise between fifty local farmers and a handful of businessmen on capitol stock of $10,000. In 1902, the model plant managed by Mrs. C. B. Spoor averaged milk
receipts . . . — — Map (db m95401) HM
Welcome to the J.P. Palmer Launch and starting point for the Union City Heritage Water Trail. Created and unveiled as part of the 2016 Sesquicentennial, the trail extends from this point on the Coldwater River west into the St. Joe River and ends 5 . . . — — Map (db m195159) HM
On March 17, 1847, the Union City Iron Company was incorporated with leading citizens of the town as stockholders. The company was formed to produce iron from the bog and kidney iron ore deposits in Union and neighboring townships. A furnace was . . . — — Map (db m65808) HM
(Side One)
During 1836-37, cabinetmaker David Hull led the organization of the township's first religious society. Circuit-riding ministers held services for Union City's fledgling Methodist congregation on alternate Sundays. The group . . . — — Map (db m65806) HM
The small backwater to the left represents the exit of the millrace that was dug diagonally from the Coldwater River and powered saw and grist mills from the first settler in 1834 to 1949 when the 111 year old Randall Mill (below) caught fire. Six . . . — — Map (db m95223) HM
