OWOSSO MICHIGAN HISTORY INDEX
Legend of Owosso
Legend of Owosso
Legend has it that a Chippewa Chief adoped into his tribe a fugitive Sauk brave, Bukadawin,
who became the husband of the Chief's daughter, Princess Natomo. Soon after a son was born to the
young couple. An Enemy, Spotted Snake, attempted to kill Bukadawin with a poison arrow. Natomo saw
him draw his bow and threw herself upon her husband to save him. She was killed by the arrow.
Heartbroken, Bukadawin buried her beneath a birch tree. He then named his son "Wasso" meaning,
"one Bright Spot", as a symbol of the one remaining joy in his life.
Steve Schmidt's 1910 Street Clock
can be found in front of his
jewelry business at 112 Washington Street
In 1825, the completion of the Erie Canal brought many people from New York to the Great Lakes region. Major Oliver Williams and his family had been among the first settlers in 1819 in the area of northern Oakland County. Major Williams' sons, Ephraim and Gardner, helped settle Saginaw in the 1820's, while his other sons, Alfred and Benjamin, moved on to Shiawassee County.
While on his way to Saginaw to visit his brothers, Benjamin Williams stopped at a bend in the Shiawassee River. He was impressed with the drop in the river and envisioned the potential source of power for saw and grist mills. Benjamin Williams went back and told his brother Alfred of the possibilities of this area and together they started purchasing land in August of 1833.
The brothers not only bought land in what became the original plat of Owosso, but they influenced Elias Comstock (a former teacher in Pontiac) to buy land nearby. Comstock in 1836, built the first permanent home in the original plat.
Comstock's Cabin is preserved today in Owosso's Historic Park, and furnished authentically representing the period. Until 1839 the settlement was known as the Big Rapids.
In 1837, the Williamses established a log cabin trading post near what became the corner of Main and Water Streets in downtown Owosso.
First Settlement Of Shiawassee County
By B.O. Williams
Published In The Owosso Weekly Press May 1872
They proceeded to recruit the finest kind of pioneers to start their settlement: Daniel Ball came with about twelve families (Ball's Colonists) and built the mill race and the first grist mill in 1837, and a sawmill a year later.
Several members of the Ebenezer Gould family arrived about the same time and opened the first general store.
Log cabins sprouted up all along the mill race and within a few years many frame houses had been built. Land in the center of town was set aside by the Williams brothers for a public park - today called Fayette Square.
The route from Oakland County was difficult for transporting necessary goods. Oxcart and canoe were limited and inefficient. The first thing the early settlers did was organize The Owosso & Saginaw Navigation Company. Flat-bottomed boats loaded with goods, were poled up the river as far as Chesaning, then towed by horse to Owosso.
About the same time, the Merell family introduced a small steamboat service, the "Shiawassee," which carried passengers between Owosso and Corunna, the County seat. The only other contact with the outside world was the stagecoach, which came twice a week from Pontiac over slightly improved trails with mail, visitors, and occasionally, with new residents.
Benjamin Williams, who had regretted missing a New England education because of his family's move west in 1815, was instrumental in getting the first school built in 1840 at the southeast corner of Washington and Williams Streets.
By 1852 the population of Owosso had reached 500. In July of 1856, the Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwalkee Railroad (later the Grand Trunk) was completed from Fentonville as far as Owosso. Before the railroad reached Owosso, it became evident that many things were going to change. The Owosso and Saginaw Navigation Company would become obsolete and the steamboat "Shiawassee" too. The stagecoach would not be able to compete with the "Iron Horse."
A large school, in the planning stages at that time, was built in 1858 but it was soon so crowded that another had to be built 10 years later. Population at this time had jumped to 1000 people. With all this growth, Owosso was incorporated as a city in 1859, with the distinction of never having been a village. Amos Gould, Attorney and Banker, was the first mayor.
Incorporation as a city was necessary to borrow funds for needed public improvements and facilities. The incorporation recieved approval by the State Legislature on February 15, 1859.
Soon city funds were used to make the necessary improvements including board and stone sidewalks with cobblestones gutters, and in June of 1884 a franchise was granted to Pittsburgh Gas Company to supply gas for the city. The rate was to be two dollars per thousand cubic feet and the firm was to be known as the Owosso Heat and Light Company. This firm failed and later the Owosso Gas Light Co. was formed in May 1885.
That same year the first Owosso City Hall was built on the southwest corner of Main and Park Streets. The main floor housed the police and fire departments and the second floor was used for council meetings.
In September of 1885, 70 gas lights for the streets were approved by the council and a five year contract at the rate of $1,073.73 per year was given to the Owosso Gas Light Co.
That same year, the city began to ponder its problem of supplying water to its residents. Up to that time it used two wells and pumps. A water works plant was developed, after a bond issue passed in Oct. of 1886.
$40,000 was approved for the plant and an additional $5,000 for a steam fire pump wagon.
In 1893, the city's first street car line was built between Owosso and Corunna. It was steam operated for two years and then converted to electricity.
In about 1908, the Jackson-Lansing line of the Michigan Electric Railways was completed in Owosso. This route extended from Owosso to Lansing, by way of Pine Lake and then through to Jackson. It continued operations until 1927. Probably due to the automobile and the growing Indian Trails bus line, the interurban faded away and by 1936, Owosso's Centennial, the Owosso-Corunna street cars had been put to rest.
Telephones were introduced in Owosso in about 1895, when a franchise was granted to a firm known as the Phoenix Telephone Company.
Later, phone service was provided by the Union Phone Company located on the southeast corner of Water and Exchange Streets and the Michigan Telephone Company. Some Owosso businesses had the two different phone company services and two phone numbers.
This is one of the first pay telephones in the City of Owosso. It was from the J. Spaniolo Market at 116 S. Washington St.
The Union Phone Co. used the "Shield" design in their advertisements, thus we believe this phone must have been used by the Union Company. It has three slots in the top marked...5 cents, 10 cents, and 25 cents. The operator would tell you how much the call would be and you paid "on your honor", as the operator had no way of telling how much you dropped in the slots. This phone can still receive calls and the receiver is marker Kellogg S&S Chicago U.S.A. and the pay box is marked The Gray Tel. Pay Station Co. Hartford Conn. USA, Patented Jan. 3rd, 1905.
City of Owosso Depression Script
Sign that was fastened to the lamp posts on Main St. during Owosso's centennial celebration in 1936.
A Real Tug-Of-War between Owosso and Corunna
Historic Site Markers
Owosso 1st Congregational Church
Visit Owosso's Circus and Fair in 1900
Breweries
Dairies
Owosso Soda Pop Bottlers
History of the Curwood Festival
Trade Tokens from Area Businesses
City of Owosso Depression Script
President George W. uses Owosso's Woodard Furniture
at the Texas Governor's Mansion
Owosso is the home of several famous people: author James Oliver Curwood, whose stories about the Yukon and Northwest Territories, have been made into movies (his "castle" can be visited in the park by the Shiawassee River), designer of the Jefferson nickel, Felix Schlag, and Thomas E. Dewey, Governor of New York and Republican presidential candidate.
Click for Pictures.....below
Main and Ball Streets looking East in about 1913
Bird's Eye View looking southeast from Main and Washington Streets
Owosso circa 1900
The building on the left is the City Hall and Fire Dept. (Now the Lebowsky Center) The hose drying tower is at the back of the building. Notice the FLAG at half-staff. The white building in the center is now the location of the Chemical (Key State) Bank.
100 Block of East Main St. looking Northwest from Washington St.
Notice streetcar overhead power lines.
Looking North on Washington St. from Comstock...about 1910
Looking North on Washington St. from Main.....about 1915
Owosso Fair sign.
1890's Baseball Team....Includes what look to be
Rockland
and Aurora uniforms... along with drummer boys.
Some are holding a sign that says "OLD 487".
Main and Washington Streets....looking west about 1910
100 Block of West Main Street in about 1910
Main and Park Streets looking West...1940s. Capitol Theatre
Looking north on Water St......Stereo View circa 1875
Fayette Square looking north circa 1916
George T. Semrau and his horse drawn Bread Wagon
in March of 1914
1908 Greetings from Owosso, Mich.
Paving Michigan Ave. in 1906. Today, this is the only remaining brick paved street in the city. The lowest bid for paving Michigan Ave. went to Andrew Geeck at a cost of $8,700. The Detroit Vitrified Brick Company of Corunna furnished the materials.
Looking southwest at 106 N. Washington St. Card was mailed from Owosso in June of 1910. The business on the left is Davis Dry Goods Co. and the one on the right with the crowd in front is F. W. Pearce Hardware, Furniture and Undertaking on the corner of Washington and Main St.
Main and Washington Streets....looking west about 1910
100 Block of West Main Street in about 1910
Main and Park Streets looking West...1940s. Capitol Theatre
"McCormick Day" celebration at Owosso circa 1900. People, horses, and farm machines gathered on Main St. This view is looking east. Several grain binders and a brass band are visible. "McCormick Days" were organized by McCormick dealers to celebrate the delivery of new machines to customers. Dealers used the events to promote the company and generate further sales.
Washington St. looking south from the corner of Washington and Exchange St. in 1953
The Street Car
Looking east on Main St. in 1910
Main and Ball Streets looking East in about 1913
100 Block of East Main St. looking Northwest from Washington St.
Notice streetcar overhead power lines.
Looking North on Washington St. from Comstock...about 1910
Looking North on Washington St. from Main.....about 1915
Owosso Fair sign.
1890's Baseball Team....Includes what look to be
Rockland
and Aurora uniforms... along with drummer boys.
Some are holding a sign that says "OLD 487".
Looking north on Water St......Stereo View circa 1875
Fayette Square looking north circa 1916
Owosso Sept. 20, 1955 Panoramic view Looking West from Saginaw and Main Streets
