The first railroad ever built in Michigan started service all the way back in 1830, but rail service did not reach Chesaning until decades later, with the first train arriving amidst an elaborate opening ceremony in September of 1867.
If we continue moving further west along Broad Street, and cross over Saginaw Street, we will arrive a group of storefronts that are collectively known as The Cantwell Block…
If we continue west along Broad Street, we leave the riverside behind and come to the second of downtown Chesaning’s original commercial blocks.
Our exploration of the 1877 layout of Chesaning continues as we leave the East Village behind and head west toward the modern downtown, crossing the bridge over the Shiawassee River to tour the 100 block of Broad Street.
Even though Chesaning was founded as an agricultural settlement, no 19th century community could survive without a sawmill, and out here on what was still the frontier, the only practical means of driving a mill was through the power of water…
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