Historical Markers and War Memorials in Chelsea, Michigan
Ann Arbor is the county seat for Washtenaw County
Chelsea is in Washtenaw County
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On South Main Street, on the right when traveling north.
Chelsea celebrated the 200th birthday of the United States of America. On this site July 4th, 1976, a time capsule was buried below this marker, not to be opened until July 4, 2026. — — Map (db m228205) HM
On Jackson Street east of North Main Street (Michigan Highway 52), on the left when traveling east.
(side 1)
Chelsea
In the 1830s the Congdon brothers, Elisha and James, settled the land where Chelsea is located. In 1848 they offered the Michigan Central Railroad a free site on which to build a station. The first and succeeding . . . — — Map (db m54136) HM
On Park Street at South Main Street (State Highway 52), on the left when traveling east on Park Street.
A continuous line of grocery houses once occupied the corner of Main and Park streets for more than 120 years. The property at 125 S. Main Street was the southern border of Chelsea in the 1850s. The border once had a deep ravine running through . . . — — Map (db m208075) HM
On East Middle Street east of North Main Street (Michigan Highway 52), on the left when traveling east.
Vermont Congregationalists organized a church in Sylvan Township in 1849. In 1852 the built the first church in the village, here on land donated by Chelsea founder Elisha Congdon. When that building burned in 1894, John Foster of Chelsea built the . . . — — Map (db m54156) HM
On Jackson Street, on the right when traveling east.
The stately Victorian home of Edith & Harmon Holmes and accompanying double-story carriage house (seen in photos) was built on E. Middle Street in 1886. It housed the Holmes family, which founded Chelsea Milling Company and Jiffy Mixes, until . . . — — Map (db m228911) HM
On South Fletcher Road at Haist Road, on the right when traveling south on South Fletcher Road.
John K. Bingham dammed Mill Creek near this site and built a sawmill in 1831-32. His dam provided power for 99 years. The mill was expanded to include grist milling in 1860 and cider pressing before 1900. Since its founding the hamlet has been . . . — — Map (db m176476) HM
On North Main Street (State Highway 52), on the left when traveling north.
On the northwest corner of Main Street and the railroad corridor was a distinctive 50 x 70 foot cut fieldstone structure to house the short-lived offices of the Glazier Stove Co. which went bankrupt in 1907. Frank P. Glazier was the main owner of . . . — — Map (db m208246) HM
Did you know? Letts Creek is a tributary of Mill Creek, the largest tributary in the entire Huron River system, draining 144 square miles of land. Mill Creek joins the Haron River in Dexter, 13 river miles downstream of Vets Park. Chelsea . . . — — Map (db m228908) HM
On East Middle Street at North Main Streeet (State Highway 52), on the left when traveling east on East Middle Street.
Historically the building located on the northeast corner of Main and Middle was known as the McKune Block. The block was called McKune after its owner and builder Timothy McKune built this late Commercial Italianate building in the late 1870s. . . . — — Map (db m207742) HM
On Jackson Street, on the right when traveling east.
1. 1894 & 1906: Vogel's Blacksmith Shop Total loss in 1894/Minor damage in 1906 2. 1902: Michigan Central Railroad Fires Multiple structures lost including the Water Tower, Beam from water tower salvaged and used in home at 154 E. Middle in 1903. . . . — — Map (db m228913) HM
(North Face): Erected under the auspices of Woman's Relief Corps No. 210, assisted by R.P. Carpenter Post No. 41, and Patriotic Citizens 1861 to 1865
(West Face):R.P. Carpenter Post No 41 To the memory of our noble dead who freely . . . — — Map (db m26732) HM
On East Middle Street at Madison Street, on the right when traveling east on East Middle Street.
Oak Grove was established in 1860 with the help of women in the community whose efforts made improvements on the cemetery grounds. The first twenty years saw so few burials here that the city was credited with healthfulness.
The names of many . . . — — Map (db m176522) HM
On North Territorial Road at Glencoe Drive, on the right when traveling west on North Territorial Road.
North Territorial Road was established by the Michigan Territory to direct settlers to the development of the West.
In 1833, John Glenn and his family arrived from New York State and
followed the Johnny Appleseed tradition of developing orchards. . . . — — Map (db m210815) HM
On Park Street at South Main Street, on the right when traveling west on Park Street.
Once the site of a livery, a blacksmith shop, dairy bars and a garage
Park Street was created when Elisha Congdon's second land addition to the village was added in 1861. If was the first of three streets, south of the original village . . . — — Map (db m180112) HM
On South Main Street, on the right when traveling north.
The Village of Chelsea celebrated its 150th birthday. On this site July 4th, 1984, a time capsule was buried below this marker, not to be opened until July 4th, 2034. — — Map (db m228204) HM
On South Main Street at South Main Street (State Highway 52), on the right when traveling north on South Main Street.
Fronting both Middle and Main streets, this fine example of Commercial Victorian architecture was constructed in 1882 to replace a wood framed structure destroyed by fire. It features narrow second story windows, cast iron columns with iron . . . — — Map (db m207819) HM
On Jackson Street, on the right when traveling east.
A livery first stood on this site in 1863. In 1905, John Wagner, proprietor of Chelsea House Hotel, replaced the wooden livery with a molded cement
block structure that housed both horses and carriages. B.J. Conlan purchased the livery six years . . . — — Map (db m226644) HM
Near North Main Street (State Highway 52) north of Jackson Street, on the right when traveling north.
The Welfare Building was constructed in 1906 as a recreation facility for the workers of the Glazier Stove Company. It featured a swimming pool, a billiard hall, a basketball court, a theatre and a reading room. Chelsea native Frank P. Glazier, who . . . — — Map (db m54138) HM
On South Main Street (State Highway 52) south of Middle Street, on the left when traveling south.
The legacy of Vogel's & Foster's began 130 years ago with the successful entrepreneurship of Harmon S. Holmes. He arrived in Chelsea in 1872 at age 17 to work for and eventually partner with Thomas Wilkinson in his dry goods store. Throughout his . . . — — Map (db m207917) HM
On South Main Street (State Highway 52) south of Middle Street, on the left when traveling south.
In 1932 Vogel's and Foster's celebrated their 60th anniversary. At this time interior and exterior renovations were completed. An alley window opening on the north side of the building was replaced with solid brick. The following year, Ed Vogel . . . — — Map (db m208071) HM
On Waters Road at South Fletcher Road, on the right when traveling west on Waters Road.
Pioneer German families founded Zion Lutheran Church in 1865 as the western portion of Saint Thomas Lutheran parish. The congregation adopted its first constitution and dedicated this substantial Neo-Gothic building in 1867. The church was enlarged . . . — — Map (db m169889) HM
Near North Territorial Road, 0.1 miles south of North Territorial Road.
The steep hills or "knobs" of Park Lyndon were created when the last glacial ice age disappeared some 12,000 years ago. As water flowed off the ice, it carried and then dropped huge amounts of sand and gravel. These soil ingredients, along with . . . — — Map (db m243839)
Near Waterloo-Pinckney Hiking Trail, 0.2 miles north of North Territorial Road.
For centuries, Native Americans hunted and fished in the area known today as Lyndon Township. The numerous lakes and ponds provided an abundance of food for its earliest inhabitants. European settlers began to arrive in 1833, nearly a decade after . . . — — Map (db m243846) HM
Near Waterloo-Pinckney Hiking Trail, 0.2 miles south of North Territorial Road.
Kettles
As you look at the lake in front of you, try to imagine it filled with an enormous block of ice one quarter mile in height! The heavy weight of the ice that once sat right here, along with the rock, sand and gravel that were . . . — — Map (db m243837)
Near North Territorial Road, 0.2 miles north of North Territorial Road.
The rich plant diversity of Park Lyndon is a result of geological features created by glacial activity. Soil types and soil moisture vary a great deal, with the "knobs" consisting of dry, sandy or gravelly soils, and many of the kettles existing . . . — — Map (db m243850) HM
Near Waterloo-Pinckney Hiking Trail, 0.2 miles north of North Territorial Road.
Did you know that all of Michigan was completely covered with ice 20,000 years ago? The glacial ice in our region was as much as one mile thick! As its enormous weight scraped across the ground, the glacier easily collected boulders, stone, . . . — — Map (db m243843) HM
