Early Settlers

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The Michigan Historical Marker Web Site
This is a survey of the designated historic sites in Michigan which have been commemorated through the placement of a historical marker. These markers have been erected as part of a program begun in 1955, and continues under the direction of the Michigan Historical Commission and the Michigan Historical Center, agencies within the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Each is a small piece of our state's past. When taken in total, they allow a more complete view of the development of the Great Lake State.

The purpose of this site is to promote a knowledge of Michigan History and to encourage people to stop at these sites and then to learn more. Including sites with text only, more than 1,800 markers are listed here.

Traveling Through Time The markers, although privately financed, remain the property of the State of Michigan. In many instances the pictures are of private residences or sites. I thank the owners of them for their cooperation and for the use of the images.

For more information, see Laura Rose Ashlee's excellent book Traveling Through Time which is now available in a revised edition; published by The University of Michigan Press.

A few of the markers have become missing over the years. If that happened before I was able to photograph it, I have included a picture of the site, if available, and used the text from Ms. Ashlee's book. I greatly thank her for that.

For information on applying for a Historical Markers, please see the State Historic Preservation Office's page, How to Apply for a Michigan Historical Marker.

The markers on this site are organized by both topical area and by county. Many markers are listed in several areas. Click one of the above buttons to modify the marker list in the left frame.

To explore the markers by area of interest, enter a word or phrase in the search box and click the search button. For example enter 'depot' to find the more than 20 markers containing that word in the text.

The accompanying maps show the general location of the markers. Internet Explorer users will see an arrow indicating the specific location. The Google Maps enable you to switch to a satellite photo view. The GPS coordinates are also provided. Note: these are approximate coordinates, generally indicating the parking location.

See the New Items topic for new markers that have been added.

The text included here is that from the marker. I have corrected only the grammatical and spelling errors that were so apparent as to be offensive. I have added links in the text to other markers where applicable.

Recipient of the 2013 Governor John B. Swainson Award
Presented by the Michigan Historical Commission

Jim Brennan
Emmett, Michigan

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