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Allegan County, Michigan

81 topographic sheets cover 72 settlements here, and 33 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

“The years 1854 and 1855 witnessed an important accession to the settlements in the Crosby district, and for a time the new recruits were quite a multitude. Indeed, the new-comers were so many, and so besieged the ones already on the ground for flour, potatoes, and other necessary commodities, that the prices of those articles rose, under the spirited demand, to a high figure, while it was with difficulty that lumber could be obtained fast enough tg meet the needs of those desirous of building framed houses.”

A Rush For Land - History of Allegan and Barry Counties Michigan 1880 (1880). Machine-read text.

33 National Register listings published here · the county-history sources tell 5 stories and name 85 people · people the book names include Arthur Anderson (Dorr Township, 1880) · Hon. H. E. Blackman (Salem Township, 1880) (machine-read).

Sources: the county history on the Internet Archive · the National Register database, National Park Service

Michigan within the United States
Allegan County within Michigan

What the record shows

  • 848 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 33 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 18 buildings, 8 districts and 7 structures.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 73 populated places in this county; 72 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.
  • 3 public-domain county histories, 1880 and 1907, supply 226,902 words of narrative reproduced here.

What happened here

5 accounts

Among them: A River Calamity; Drowned In The Lake; Tragic Events. These passages come from the identified county-history source books. Each inset names its own source and opens the exact section it comes from.

From History of Allegan and Barry Counties, Michigan, published 1880 - Salem Township

A River Calamity

On the 25th of July, 1841, John Billings, with his wife and six children, the wife of McLaughlin the ship-builder, with her child, R. A. McDonald, and an Irishman (name unknown) were passing up the river in a small boat, when the craft accidentally capsized, and five of the twelve persons on board were drowned, viz.

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From History of Allegan and Barry Counties, Michigan, published 1880 - Dorr Township

Drowned In The Lake

Mention will be made in the history of Saugatuck of a calamity on the Kalamazoo River in 1841 whereby three children of John H. Billings, together with Mrs. Billings, were drowned. Three other children of Mr. Billings, in the boat on that occasion, were saved, but one of them, Ozias by name, seemed born under an adverse star, for he subsequently lost his life in Hutchins' Lake, in Ganges, while crossing on the ice.

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From History of Allegan and Barry Counties Michigan 1880, published 1880 - Fennville City

Tragic Events

The history of Hope is marked by an unusually long list of tragic episodes, in which there appears a list of one murder, two suicides, and six fatal accidents. First in prominence may be noted the killing of Dean S. Tyler, in June, 1878, by John R. Pitts. The testimony taken upon Pitts' trial showed that trouble originated between the two men by reason of Mrs.

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From History of Allegan and Barry Counties Michigan 1880, published 1880 - Fennville City

A Rush For Land

The years 1854 and 1855 witnessed an important accession to the settlements in the Crosby district, and for a time the new recruits were quite a multitude. Indeed, the new-comers were so many, and so besieged the ones already on the ground for flour, potatoes, and other necessary commodities, that the prices of those articles rose, under the spirited demand, to a high figure, while it was with difficulty that lumber could be obtained fast enough tg meet the needs of those desirous of building framed houses.

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From History of Allegan and Barry Counties Michigan 1880, published 1880 - Fennville City

The Gibbs Tragedy

In August, 1879, James Gibbs, marshal of the village of Middleville, while conveying one James Jansen (or Johnson) and his brother to the lock-up on some trifling charge, was fatally stabbed by James Jansen, who at once fled. Gibbs died within twelve hours, and a search for Jansen discovered him in Chicago (whence he had written a letter to Middleville and thus disclosed his whereabouts), He was captured within a week after the murder, and, being tried in February, 1880, was promptly convicted of murder in the second degree, and sentenced to the State prison for fifteen years.

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Places on the National Register

33

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
All Saints' Episcopal Churchbuilding198484000511
Edward D. Born Housebuilding198787000237
Engelbert B. Born Housebuilding198787000238
William H. Brown Housebuilding198787000239
Cherry DeLefebvre Housebuilding199191001548
Douglas Union Schoolbuilding199595000870
Downtown Allegan Historic Districtdistrict198787000251
J. F. Eesley Milling Co. Flour Mill-Elevatorstructure199191001547
Dorr E. Felt Mansionbuilding199696001418
Fifty-Seventh Street Bridgestructure199898000273
Francis Metallic Surfboatstructure201515000156
Henry Franks Housebuilding198787000252
Griswold Civic Center Historic Districtdistrict198787000253
Island Historic Districtdistrict199191001546
Lake Shore Chapelbuilding199797000280
Leiendecker's Inn-Coral Gablesbuilding200909000520
Augustus Lilly Housebuilding198787000254
Marshall Street Historic Districtdistrict198787000256
William C. Messenger Housebuilding198787000258
Michigan Paper Company Mill Historic Districtdistrict201111000636
Navigation Structures at Saugatuck Harborstructure200101001216
Oakwood Cemetery Chapelbuilding198787000261
Old Wing Missionbuilding198686001551
Pritchard's Outlook Historic Districtdistrict198787000265
Saugatuck Gap Filler Annexstructure2022100008508
Saugatuck Pump Housebuilding201515000943
Second Street Bridgestructure198080001845
Second Street-Gun River Bridgestructure199999001573
James Noble Sherwood Housebuilding198484000507
Sarah Lowe Stedman Housebuilding198787000266
Warner P. Sutton Housebuilding199291001999
Wayland Downtown Historic Districtdistrict2021100006916
West Bridge Street Historic Districtdistrict199191001549

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

296 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 296 of them, burning about 1,325 acres. 19 started naturally and 32 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Equipment and vehicle use86
Missing data/not specified/undetermined81
Debris and open burning34
Arson/incendiarism32
Natural19
Recreation and ceremony17
Smoking15
Power generation/transmission/distribution4
Misuse of fire by a minor4
Railroad operations and maintenance4

The five largest, by the area the report gives. Two of them were set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
26 April 1993Smoking90 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
29 April 1995Smoking71 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
6 November 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined66 acresMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesALLEGAN 05
26 March 2019Debris and open burning50 acresMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesCLYDE TOWNSHIP FD 0000023 - 2019
3 April 1996Arson/incendiarism42 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
20 October 2003Smoking41 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named
26 March 2019Missing data/not specified/undetermined40 acresMichigan Department of Natural ResourcesALLEGAN 03 - LOST FIRE
7 May 1995Arson/incendiarism40 acresMichigan Department of Natural Resourcesnot named

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1954 to 2026

60 of 365 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 365 reports for this county, causing 4 deaths, 45 injuries and about $29,429,310 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind234
Hail77
Tornado37
Flash Flood14
Flood2
Lightning1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 2008Flash FloodCastle Park2 killed, $2,000,000At 3 a.m. EST June 8th, two people drowned when they were delivering newspapers and their car plunged into a fifty foot ravine created by a washed out road. A presidential disaster declaration was issued for Allegan county due to extensive flash flooding.
April 1965Tornado (F1)not stated1 killed, 9 hurt, $250,000no account filed
July 1983Tornado (F2)not stated1 killed, 1 hurt, $250,000no account filed
April 1956Tornado (F5)not stated10 hurt, $25,000no account filed
June 1997Flash FloodCounty-Wide4 hurt, $2,000,000Allegan County, which borders Ottawa County to the south, was impacted by the same slow-moving thunderstorms which trained across the area throughout the day of Friday, June 20th. The line of severe thunderstorms which moved across Allegan County Friday evening resulted in widespread flash flooding, with the worst of the flooding concentrated across the northern half of the county. The most significant damage occurred in the following Allegan County townships: Salem, Overisel, Hopkins, Wayland, Saugatuck, and Dorr. Notable rainfall totals for the 24 hours ending at midnight included 4.63 inches at Douglas, 5.40 inches at Allegan, 6.15 inches at Hamilton, and 7.20 inches at Wayland. Allegan County officials reported an extensive list of damage done to roads, drainage channels, homes, and businesses. Four people were injured, including a woman whose vehicle went nose-first into an 8-foot deep pit caused by a road washout. Extensive agricultural damage occurred in low-lying areas near flooded rivers and streams. Approximately 48 roads had near total or severe washouts (43 of which were closed for several days following the flooding). In addition, 126 roads had partial washouts. All totaled, 9 homes were destroyed, including 2 vacation cottages at Glenn Shores, 44 homes received major damage, and another 216 homes reported minor damage. Rain and draining groundwater caused a bluff along Lake Michigan at Glenn Shores, near Glenn, to collapse. The collapsing dune took several trees and 2 vacation cottages with it, 60 feet down onto the immediate lake shoreline. Eleven homes around Swan Lake in Cheshire Township were surrounded by water when the lake flooded. One business was destroyed, 7 reported major damage, and 30 received minor damage from flash flooding. The roof of the Regent Theater in the town of Allegan collapsed under the weight of rainwater. The 600-seat theater received major damage, but was not a total loss. The Otsego Lumber Company building also reported a roof collapse. Allegan County officials declared a local State of Emergency at 2:11 AM Saturday, June 21st, when they determined that local emergency recovery efforts were unable to handle the magnitude of the flooding situation. On Friday, June 27th, Governor John Engler issued a state disaster declaration for Allegan County.
April 1967Tornado (F2)not stated4 hurt, $250,000no account filed
October 1967Tornado (F2)not stated4 hurt, $25,000no account filed
April 1956Tornado (F3)not stated3 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
May 1980Tornado (F1)not stated3 hurt, $25,000no account filed
July 1988Thunderstorm Windnot stated3 hurtno account filed
July 2002Thunderstorm WindCheshire Center2 hurt, $200,000no account filed
July 2006Thunderstorm WindAllegan1 hurt, $50,000Numerous trees were blown down across Allegan county and a tree fell on a tent camper pinning a woman underneath. She sustained minor injuries.
September 1986Thunderstorm Windnot stated1 hurtno account filed
April 2013FloodGlenn$5,000,000Heavy rain caused significant flooding on rivers and streams across Allegan county.
June 2009Flash FloodHolland$4,000,000Numerous reports from trained spotters, fire department and media were received during event. Several reports of road washouts in and near the city of Wayland. There were also several reports of flooding in the vicinity of Old Mill Road. Additional reports of water in basements were received on 40th Street as well. Road washouts and significant damage to roads numbered 57 by the end of the heavy rain event.||A Local State of Emergency was declared.
August 2016Tornado (EF1)Kibbie$2,000,000An EF-1 tornado touched down just southwest of Bangor on and tracked northeast. The entire city lost power as well as hundreds of trees. Multiple structures in Bangor were damaged as well. Roof damage was noted on Main Street. New Beginning Ministries and the Bangor Police Department sustained damage. ||The tornado then tracked further northeast, causing significant damage at True Blue Farms along County Road 215 and the Columbia Township Hall in Grand Junction. The tornado tracked into extreme southern Allegan County before lifting about 2.5 miles northeast of Grand Junction on 103rd Ave west of 52nd Street.
August 2016Tornado (EF1)Bravo$1,500,000The second tornado of the day began 6 miles southeast of Fennville and tracked to 4 miles northeast of Hamilton and was also rated EF-1 and caused heavy tree damage along it's path.
April 2011Tornado (EF0)Burnips$1,000,000The tornado touchdown at a landscaping company where it tore a small section of roof of a warehouse building, knocked over several trailers, and blew the windows out of several cars. The tornado then struck a row of 100 yard long turkey pole barns. An approximately 100 ft section of one barn was uplifted and the collapsed. The roof was torn off about a 50 ft section of another barn. Further northeast, several small outbuildings were destroyed and trees were uprooted. Several houses in the path received minor roof and soffit damage with two garage doors damaged. The tornado lifted after partially destroying a 75 year-old 40 ft by 90 ft barn.
June 2024Thunderstorm WindAllegan$500,000Allegan county emergency management reported that trees and wires were blown down across the county.
April 2023HailHopkins$500,000Hail up to two inches in diameter was reported by trained spotters.
April 2023HailWayland$500,000Hail up to nearly two inches in diameter was reported. Car windshields were cracked and the hail did considerable damage to roofs and siding of homes.
April 2020HailPlainwell$500,000Very large hail to two inches in diameter was reported near Plainwell.
August 2021Tornado (EF0)Burnips$300,000An NWS storm survey determined that one outbuilding was destroyed near 26th street with metal roofing debris scattered along the path. A large irrigation structure was knocked over and damaged east of 26th street. Tornadic damage to trees was noted throughout the path. Intermittent roofing damage was also observed.
May 2000Flash FloodCountywide$300,000no account filed
July 2024Thunderstorm WindAllegan$250,000There were several reports of downed trees, limbs and power lines and downed limbs caused damage to a few homes in the area.
August 2022Thunderstorm WindOtsego$250,000Numerous trees and power lines were blown down in and near Otsego.
April 2020HailGroafschap$250,000Very large hail of up to one and three quarters inches in diameter was reported in portions of Allegan county.
April 2020HailDorr$250,000The public reported very large hail up to hen egg size.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindAllegan$250,000Numerous trees were blown down across much of Allegan county. At least one tree fell on a house.
June 2009Tornado (EF2)Chicora$250,000Damage to both trees and structures were found along the tornado path. A Circa 1940 pole barn was destroyed and numerous trees were snapped or uprooted just over a half a mile west of Chicora north of 108th Avenue. Further down the tornado's path, garage doors were blown out and carried 300 yards while two boats were blown out of the garage. The house suffered 80% shingle loss with one 2-foot diameter hole in the roof on the home's west side. This was approximately 0.35 miles north of Chicora. The most extensive damage occurred approximately one mile northeast of Chicora along 42nd Street. A roof was partially torn off of a house. A barn was blown about 20-feet off of its foundation. There were several telephone poles snapped with wires wrapped around a tree. A roof was ripped off a small unoccupied house with one wall collapsed. Debris was lofted up to one-half mile across a field. More shingle loss was found on the west side of a home located two-miles northeast of Chicora. Nearly 80% shingle loss was witnessed. Several utility poles were snapped with widespread tree damage through the area. More damage to a home was observed about a quarter-mile west of Schermerhorn Lake. The damage happened when numerous falling trees crushed it. One-quarter mile of 39th street was blocked by fallen trees. The trees were piled up to 15-feet deep on the road. As the tornado was weakening, a 30-foot metal tower was bent over half way up. This was located near the intersection of 37th Street and 109th Avenue. Minor roof damage was also noted to a home in this area.
May 1989Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
June 1976Tornado (F1)not stated$250,000no account filed
June 1974Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
August 2022Thunderstorm WindOtsego$150,000Several large trees and tree limbs were blown down and one landed on an American legion building. There were numerous power outages and a shed was also destroyed.
July 2010Tornado (EF0)Green Lake$150,000A tornado resulted in damage to a house approximately 5 miles to the northeast of Wayland. The roof of the home sustained damage with shingles removed and scattered northeast. A wooden swing set was thrown into the east side of the home. A 2x4 was impaled into a pickup truck door located in the driveway. The tornado traveled northeast into wetlands. Tree branches were snapped and a few trees were uprooted. A barn sustained minor damage and a chicken coop was destroyed. Two homes and a barn had minor shingle loss and one home had a screen door torn from the home.
April 2008Tornado (EF1)Plainwell$150,000A National Weather Service storm survey determined that damage in the vicinity of 388 3rd Street in the southeast corner of Allegan county was caused by a tornado. The tornado was rated an EF-1 on the Enhanced Fujita Damage Scale. The tornado touched down just southwest of the above address in Allegan county.||The tornado was on the ground for nearly five miles, and traveled to the northeast. It did significant damage to a horse barn, lifted a trailer adjacent to the barn, damaged gravel yard equipment, lofted a tank, and uprooted numerous large trees. Some trees were snapped off.||No one was injured. The damage was concentrated about four miles east of Plainwell and extended from the 300 block of 102nd Avenue to the northeast, crossing 106th Avenue in the 100 to 200 block section.
August 2021Thunderstorm WindDorr$100,000Numerous trees were blown down in and near Dorr.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindAllegan$100,000Multiple trees were blown down onto houses in Allegan. Several trees fell on cars in Fennville.
February 2001Flash FloodCountywide$100,000no account filed
May 2000HailSaugatuck$100,000no account filed
August 2016Tornado (EF0)Douglas$75,000An EF-0 tornado touched down briefly near Riverside road. One outbuilding was destroyed and two homes incurred minor siding and roofing damage from debris and fallen trees. Significant tree damage was observed along a path that was about a quarter of a mile long and 25 to 50 yards wide.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindOtsego$75,000A 65 mph wind gust was reported in Otsego. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down in and around Wayland.
June 2020Thunderstorm WindGroafschap$50,000A peak wind gust to 73 mph was measured at Holland Tulip City Airport. There were several reports of wind damage and power outages.
July 2019Thunderstorm WindWayland$50,000Several trees were blown down.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindPearl$50,000Numerous trees and limbs were blown down five miles south southeast of Fennville and one and three quarters inch diameter hail was reported three miles southeast of Fennville.
December 2007Thunderstorm WindLee$50,000Trees and power lines were blown down across Allegan county.
December 2007Thunderstorm WindWayland$50,000Numerous power lines were blown down along with 6 inch tree limbs.
May 2004Thunderstorm WindWayland$50,000Several trees and power lines were blown down in Wayland.
May 2004Thunderstorm WindDiamond Spgs$50,000Law enforcement reported several trees blown down in Monterey and near Wayland. Many trees were also blown down in Diamond Springs.
June 2003HailAllegan$50,000Reports of one to as large as one and three quarters inch diameter hail were received from Allegan.
May 2001Tornado (F0)Green Lake$50,000A F0 tornado touched down on Round Lake and moved north across the eastern edge of Green Lake, then ending just north of 108th street. The tornado was a F0, producing maximum estimated wind speeds to 70 m.p.h. It was 50 yards wide and had a path length of 1.5 miles. The tornado passed over dozens of homes, but did not produce any structural damage. At the north end of Round Lake, a wooden dock was lifted out of the water and thrown into an area of trees.
May 1999Thunderstorm WindAllegan$50,000A 60 mile per hour wind gust was recorded in Allegan. Numerous trees were downed including at least one that fell on a home in Allegan, causing roof damage.
June 2001Thunderstorm WindAllegan$50,000no account filed
July 2001Flash FloodSaugatuck$50,000no account filed
June 2000Thunderstorm WindCountywide$50,000no account filed
May 2000HailAllegan$50,000no account filed
May 2000HailPullman$50,000no account filed
July 2006Thunderstorm WindWayland$40,000Trees and power lines were blown down in Wayland and Allegan.
July 2005Thunderstorm WindWayland$40,000no account filed
May 2000HailPlainwell$40,000no account filed

Mines and quarries

25 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 25 workings inside this county. 12 still produce and 13 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction17
Clay3
Limestone, General2
Calcium1
Stone, Crushed/Broken1
Silica1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Belden Marl Pit 2Stone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Gerald Arnsman Marl PitCalciumPast Producer
Laketown SiteSilicaProducerSedimentary
Hervig Mall PitLimestone, GeneralPast Producer
Pavlak PitLimestone, GeneralPast Producer
Allegan Brick Co Clay PitClayPast Producer
Cushman Bros Clay PitClayPast Producer
Zeeland Brick Co Clay PitClayPast Producer
Allegan Co PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Allegan Co Pit Cole BrosSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Allegan Co Pit Yerington ConstSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Belden PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Flemming Gravel Co. PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Grigsby PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Hamilton Washing PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Hughes Otsego PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Middlemiss PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Miller Pit & Wash PlantSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Millers Pit & Mill # 2Sand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Pickett and Schreur, Inc. PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Pickett and Schreur, Inc. PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Smith PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
Smith-Belden # 8 PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
W.Douglas Sand ExposureSand and Gravel, ConstructionProspect
Wedge PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer

The townships, in 1880

226,902 words

History of Allegan and Barry Counties, Michigan devotes a chapter to each township: its boundaries and streams, who settled it and when, the mills, the schools and the churches. All 9 are reproduced here in full. Each row shows the township's own shape and where it lies in the county, drawn from the Census Bureau's boundary. Which settlements belong to which township is computed from that same boundary, not taken from the book.

The county's history books

393,925 words

2 books written about this county, cut here where the book itself is cut, at its printed chapters: 31 chapters in all. Every chapter is public domain, machine-read from the scan and reproduced complete. A chapter already given under one of the county's towns is not repeated in this list.

History of Allegan and Barry Counties, Michigan (1880)

A Twentieth Century History of Allegan County, Michigan (1907)

The people it describes

85 named

Everyone History of Allegan and Barry Counties, Michigan stops to write about, with the section that describes them. Among them are the men who founded the place and governed the Territory. Each name opens the passage itself, in the words of 1880.

Every populated place in the county

73

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

The vanished settlements of Allegan County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.