Grand Ledge Timeline

PreHistory Potawatomi, Chippewa & Ottawa Tribes used clay kilns in the Grand Ledge area to make pottery. 1819 Treaty of Saginaw resulted in the U.S. Government taking possession of most of the land in lower Michigan. 1936 Early settlers reached Oneida Township. 1848-49 Early settlers John Russell and Abram Smith built a dam on the river, and David Taylor joined them in building a saw mill. 1853 The first wooden bridge was built across the Grand River. 1859 (exact date is not known) George Loveless started producing pottery. 1869 The railroad came to the north side of the village and the

Grand Ledge Independent was founded. 1870 The iron bridge was built. 1871 Grand Ledge was incorporated into a Village by the State. 1872 John Burtch founded the Seven Islands Resort.

1877 S.M. Hewings bought the resort, added a steamer, plus expanded the hotel. 1883 The Grand Ledge Chair Company began. 1886 Grand Ledge Sewer Pipe Company, later known as American

Vitrified, was founded. J.S. Mudge bought the Seven Islands

Resort and made even more improvements and expansions. 1887 The Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Western Railroad built the railroad trestle across the river, allowing the railroad to cross the river and proceed to Grand Rapids. 1888 Grand Ledge got electric lights. 1891 Mudge had what is believed to be the state’s first roller coaster built. It started on the second island and ended on the third.

1893 Grand Ledge was incorporated as a city. 1895 The Spiritualists Association created a campground, which would later become Fitzgerald Park. 1902 The Crawford Chair Company was founded. 1906 Grand Ledge Clay Products was founded. 1910 A concrete bridge across the river was constructed, allowing two lanes in each direction.

1914 Baker Clay Company was founded, which would later become the Grand Ledge Face Brick Company. 1915 Bridge Street was paved with bricks. 1918 The City bought the Spiritualist campground and renamed it

Riverside Park. 1923 The American Vitrified plant burned down and in 1924 it was rebuilt, larger than before. 1931 The Crawford Chair Company became the Hoerner Chair

Company. 1934 Lion’s Head Rock, the most famous and recognized rock formation on the ledges, was damaged by blasting for a new sewer system. 1935 Frank D. Fitzgerald, Grand Ledge resident, was elected governor of Michigan. 1939 Frank Fitzergerald was elected for his second term as governor. 1940 The city of Grand Ledge renamed Riverside Park as Fitzgerald

Park in honor of Frank Fitzgerald. 1945 The last coal mine in Grand Ledge closed. 1947 The Grand Ledge Face Brick Company closed. 1956 Ledges Playhouse was founded. 1966 American Vitrified, formerly Grand Ledge Sewer Pipe, closed.

John Peakes and Richard Thomsen formed Boarshead Theater.

1967 The Hayes School was built. 1975 The land used for Grand Ledge Face Brick Company was sold to Eaton County. New schools for Wacousta Elementary and the

Beagle Middle School were completed. 1981 The Grand Ledge Chair Company closed. 1983 Len Kluge and Bob Robinson formed the Spotlight Actors

Workshop. 1984 The Mapes family donated the Grand Ledge Opera House structure to the Grand Ledge Historical Society. 1986 Grand Ledge Clay Products closed. 1996 Willow Ridge Elementary School was built. 2006 Kevin Burnham and Tanya Canady-Burnham formed the

Capital Theaterworks. 2018 The City of Grand Ledge celebrated 125 years as a community.

2020 Due to the COVID-19 pandemic,

Grand Ledge schools went virtual to slow the spread of the virus. For a more detailed history and links to source material, scan the QR code or visit: www.totallocal.com/grandledge/history