The picture for this week shows the north side of the square in Grant City in its earliest days. A little notation on the framing of the picture says it was taken in 1863.
According to two or three historical sources, the town started in the spring of 1863. If that date for the origin is correct, then one of two things is true. Either a lot of building or moving in took place very quickly or the picture might have been taken a year or so later than 1863.
The building setting immediately to the right of the sign that sticks out was the first business house in Grant City. Amos Frakes operated a little store about two miles east of town and when he heard the rumor that the county seat was to be moved to the more central location in the county he built a new building and moved his stock of goods to the new store.
Allendale Picture
Last Monday I took the copy about the courthouse in about noon. In it I mentioned that we couldn't identify any of the ladies in the picture. On Tuesday morning I walked down to the mail box and there was a very nice letter from Colonel Calvin Campbell, Snohomish, Wash., and he identifies two of the people. The lady on the right is Etta Campbell Walton and the one next to her is Nelly Fry Henry. Thank you, Colonel. The letter will be filed with the picture so the next generation will know.
I don't want to sound presumptious, but if you are interested in this sort of thing you might want to start a scrapbook of these pictures and little articles. Occasionally there will be cross references to some earlier article or picture and it might be more interesting if you could refer back.
If you should have any early day pictures, especially of the early day trading posts which are gone, (Gem City, Defiance, Dawson City, Friend, etc.) please let us share them.