Pellston Events is a public forum for sharing community events and issues related to Pellston. Pellston Events serves the community of Pellston, MI.
123 Stimpson St
Pellston, MI
49769
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The Village of Pellston was once the lumber and planing hub of northern, lower peninsula Michigan. A wealthy land speculator named William Pells began purchasing large swaths of land in the area during the 1870’s and 80’s. Around the turn of the century, William and his son Edgar formed the Village of Pellston however it was not until their deaths when Hannah Pells and her husband Charles Bogardus inherited the land holdings, moved up to Pellston and began developing the town and investing in sawmill resources in 1902. With the help from the east branch of the Maple River, multiple sawmills running around the clock turned out more board-feet of wood in Pellston than any other town in the region by 1906/7.
At its peak, Pellston boasted a bustling town and commercial district. Known for having a good school system, a hydroelectric dam, the world’s largest handle mill, possibly the world’s largest hoop mill, easy access to coastal communities and a well-equipped fire department, many families called Pellston home. In 1910, the US Census reported a population of 1089 although many more commuted to Pellston for work and school primarily on the train. There were 9 sawmills in the McKinley Township area which in the 1800’s was referred to as Egleston. The remnants of the concrete foundations can still be visited today if you know where to look.
As the town grew and developed, many short tracks were laid running from the mills to Douglas Lake, Cheboygan, North Ayr, and even to Sturgeon Bay. The railroad beds are still easily identifiable even though all the metal and wood components have been removed. As with industry elsewhere in Michigan and the Great Lakes region, growth lead to maturity and maturity lead to decline. The lumbering era lasted roughly 50 years with the most prosperous years being roughly a ten-year stretch from about 1898 to 1910 when the first, large mill bankruptcy took place. Charles Bogardus filed for bankruptcy and it is believed his debt was as high as $12 million ($313 million in 2017 adjusting for inflation). By 1923 nearly all the tall, virgin white pines had been clear cut and the Jackson and Tindle Company pulled the railroad tracks and moved them to the Upper Peninsula near Trout Lake. The unsustainable practices of the timber industry lead to its own demise.
As with many lumber towns in Michigan, Pellston was prone to falling victim to fire and so on three occasions (Alba Mill 1904, Jackson & Tindle 1914, handle mill 1932) rebuilding was necessary. Despite evidence of waning demand, planing continued to take place in Pellston with logs from the U.P. arriving on horse-drawn sleighs until 1934 when it is believed planing activity all but ceased in Pellston.
