Tales road FROM THE

~ M-66 ~ Michigan’s Route 66

trains one day (trains didn’t travel at night) to reach Nashville from either the Jackson or Grand Rapids terminals. Prior to 1920, trains had stopped in Hastings overnight. These “stop-overs” required a hostler to tend the locomotives while the train crew spent the night in town. A hostler was

M-66 runs from the Indiana state line to Charlevoix in the north and is the only state highway to run the northsouth distance of the Lower Peninsula. It is 273 miles in length.

Nashville is 28 miles north of Battle Creek. My only previous trip to Nashville was for a Jerry Lee Lewis concert in June 1984 at Sandyland Park. Sandyland opened in the 1970’s and over the years, legendary performers including: The Everly Brothers, Chubby Checker, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn and Carl Perkins played there. It had been closed for many years but reopened in 2016. The first settlers came to Nashville in 1836 and the community remained nameless until1869. In 1866, the chief engineer, Garaudus Nash, for the Grand River Valley Railroad began a survey for a route from Jackson to Grand Rapids and suggested that his name be used, and without objection, the community was named Nashville. Beginning in 1920, Nashville was used as the half-way stopping point between the Jackson and Grand Rapids railroad terminals. It took the originally a term for those who tended to the horses at night when travelers stopped at inns with their horses and carriages. As this mode of transportation changed, those who guided the trains into service areas at night and checked them over, also became known as hostlers. In 1920, Nashville became the stop-over point and the hostler’s job was moved to Nashville. Just south of Nashville, I passed MOOville Creamery. I stopped there a few summers ago with Jackie and her grandkids for some great ice cream and the fun farm and animal petting zoo. They offer homemade ice cream and dairy products and self guided tours for a small fee. For the second year in a row, MOO-Ville has been recognized for having the best ice cream in America by The North American Ice Cream Association. The Creamery is open year round and the petting zoo is open April-October.

I passed the Corner Kettle Cafe, Shirley’s Chuckwagon Cafe and the R & D Pizzeria in town but did not stop on this trip.

Ten miles north of Nashville is Vermontville, with a population of about 750.

It is home to the oldest Maple Syrup Festival in Michigan . The Festival, other maple treats, such as maple syrup cotton candy, which is popular with the kids. which began in 1940, is held the last full weekend in April. Local syrup producers are found throughout the village, selling syrup, candies and

The weekend offers something for everyone - carnival rides, a talent show, arts and crafts, a flea market, two parades, a petting zoo, a princess pageant, various displays, games, free entertainment, a pancake derby, and arm wrestling.

On the way into town, I noticed a sign that read, Welcome to the Village of Vermontville, Home of Ken Beardslee, National High School Baseball Strike Out Champion. In the late 1940’s, Beardslee compiled an unbelievable high school pitching record of 24-1, with eight no hitters and two perfect games! He had several good years in the minor leagues but never made it to the majors.

Downtown Vermontville has a handful of interesting old buildings, including the 1896 Vermontville Opera House. The opera house auditorium was wellused for dances, lectures, plays, musical performances, and Vaudeville over the past several decades. The lower level now holds the town library. These towns are just a sampling of the many wonderful small towns along this historic highway. Stay tuned for the rest of the adventure next month.