Duck Lake Memories The Early Years Presen esentation ion to o Whi White e Lake ke Area rea Historica rical l Soci ociet ety Da vid d W . Pequet uet, Preside sident nt Duck k Lake ke Riparia rian n Owners ners Assoc socia iation ion August gust 18, 2016 Fruitl itland nd Townsh ownship ip Hall
Du Duck k Lake ake Channel annel has s been n prov oviding iding “Kodak Moments” for over 80 years 1934 1932 David Pequet Presentation 8-18-16
1950 1953 1954 1961 David Pequet Presentation 8-18-16
1964 64 1968 68 1968 68 David Pequet Presentation 8-18-16
Known for it’S clear r waters, s, quieT settin ting g and a ward winnin ning g sunsets, s, Duck k Lake is Roughly y 270 acres es in size, ze, 1974 74 two miles s long and one mile wide. . The lake has 4.5 mile les s of of shoreline ine and an a verage depth of nearly y 25 25 ft ft. WITH spot ots that reach h 60 ft. 2014 14 David Pequet Presentation 8-18-16
Duck Lake Memories The Early Years The he His History of of Duc uck Lake ke spans ns nearl rly 20 200 years ars and nd is is ri rich in in he heart rtfelt suc success ss st stories ries of of hard ard working rking immigr migran ants from Eur urope pe th that came to to this his coun untr try to to make ake a bette ter life ife for for thems hemselves es and the heir families ilies. Fruit uitlan land Towns nship hip was fort rtun unate to to ha ve many ve many of of th these familie milies make ke thI hIER mark ark in in th the Duc uck Lak ake area. This his pr prese sent ntati tion focuses ses on on some me of of the the firs irst settlers tlers of of Duc uck Lake ke from th the lumberi bering ng are rea in in th the mi mid-Late te 180 1800 ’s th thru ru the he boom boom of of the he Lak ake resorts IN IN the first st part of of the 1900 1900 ’s . David Pequet Presentation 8-18-16
Duck Lake’s First Settler In 1790, Nov a Scotian Joseph La Framboise, Western Michigan's agent for the John Jacob Astor Fur Company , was given a land grant by Astor to build a log cabin on the oldest historical spot in the White Lake area — "Jibshi Sagagen," or Duck Lake as we know it toda y . As agent for Astor, the cabin w as one of a unit of 20 trading stations established in the latter da ys of the famous Astor regime. These trading posts were part of a "fur claim" stretching across the pine covered slopes of Michigan from the Kalamazoo River to Grand Tra verse Ba y . The log cabin w as 14 ft by 16 ft, with a chimney made of 4 large upright logs, interior walls covered with cla y and stra w and a narrow porch facing Lake Michigan. In 1806 Joseph was killed by an Indian near Lowell Michigan. His widow , Madame La Framboise, was a very remarkable woman. She was the child of French Canadian/Otta w a Indian parents and educated by the French. She grew up with her Otta w a Indian mother at the mouth of the Grand River in Grand Ha ven. David Pequet Presentation 8-18-16
Her er fur ur tr trad ade sp spann anned ed the the en entir tire west est coas oast of of Mic ichi higa gan and nd in in 1818 1818 sh she so sold ld to to Ast stor's r's Ame meric rican an Fur ur Comp mpan any for a rep eport rted ed “small fortune” and and re retir tired on on Mackin inac ac Island nd. La La Fram rambois ise beca ecame ac activ tive in in found undin ing a sc school on on Mack Mackin inac ac Is Isla land nd for for Na Nativ tive Americ merican an chi hild ldren ren and and su supp pporti ting chari haritabl ble ac acti tivi viti ties es until her death in in 1846 1846. As As one ne of of the he mos ost pr promin minent ent earl arly bus usin inessw esswomen en of of Mic Michi higa gan, n, sh she was as ele lected ed in in 19 1984 84 to to th the Mic Michi higa gan Women's en's Hall of of Fame . Sources: White Laker, 100 Year Addition Jan 30, 1974, White Lake Observer July 12-1978, History of American Women Jan 2013, Wikipedia David Pequet Presentation 8-18-16
Charles Mears In 1844, Charles Mears, a business man from Massachusetts purchased the property at the mouth of Duck Lake. He built a dam at the site of the current Duck Lake Bridge, a w ater powered sa w mill, boarding house, store, blacksmith shop and stable. The lumber camp w as known as “The Middle House” . In 1856 a three story boarding house w as erected and the small hamlet w as often called Cork Point. The small hamlet for a number of years w as the center of activity for the whole surrounding territory . The Duck Lake store supplied the needs of settler and Indians alike. The local Otta w a population number as much as 3000. David Pequet Presentation 8-18-16
Sources: Charles Mears, Pioneer of the White Lake Area For 25 years Charles Mears was the recognized leader and businessman in the area. During this time HE purchaseD over 40,000 acres of prime timber lands, most from the U.S. Government Land office for $1.25/acre and included over 2000 acres surrounding Duck Lake. He constructed and operated 15 saw mills and built five harbors for the transport of lumber. One of those harbors was the pier at the mouth of Duck Lake on Lake Michigan. It was serviced weekly by the schooner he built; “Propeller”, that regularly transported lumber to Chicago and supplies back to west Michigan . David Pequet Presentation 8-18-16
Charles Mears Legacy Mr. Mears also served in the State Senate and w as an early member of a newly founded political party , the Republicans. He w as a personal friend of Abraham Lincoln. In November of 1858 the two sa w mills were destroyed by fire, reportedly by a group of drunken disgruntled unpaid laborers. With over 10,000 logs in the w aters of Duck Lake, a new steam sa w mill w as shipped from Chicago and ready for production in late 1859. By the late 1800 ’s the v ast forests of towering white pine had been complete stripped from the local landscape and the lumber industry had moveD inland and farther north. Aided by the introduction of railroad service in the state, the boom times of Charles Mears had moved on. Sources: Charles Mears, Pioneer of the White Lake Area David Pequet Presentation 8-18-16
First st Newsp ewspaper aper Headl eadline ine Dec c 23, 1859 Second nd Surv rvey y 1859 ….Several ent nterpris ising ing lumb umberin ring g vil illage ges s have est stablis ishe hed d includin ding the he one ne at the he mout outh First Mapped 1837 of Duck uck lake ke Ed Edward rd H. Tow ownsend end bec ecame the e fi first st pos ostmast ster of of the village ge of of Duck k Lake whic ich h when n developed ped was in Otta wa a Count nty . Muske . kegon n Count nty was not organiz ized until il 1859. . The post offic ice opened on March 24 24, , 1856, and was clo losed sed July y 24, , 1858 and d the e village ge faded into a a hamlet. David Pequet Presentation 8-18-16
Hen enrick ck Sc Schei eider er …Henry Snyder One of On of Duc Duck Lake’s pr prom ominen inent fo foun undin ding famil ilie ies fo foll llowin owing the he lum lumberi ering era era w as tha hat of of Henrick Henrick (Henr Henry) y) Schn chnei eider der. Born orn in in Ge Germ rmany in in 1837 1837 he he fi firs rst settle led in in Chicago Chicago wor working king in in the he stock ock y ards rds and at at the he age ge of of 20 20 mov oved ed to to Duck ck La Lake to to make ke his his fo fort rtune as as a lum umber jack jack wor working king for or Mea ears rs. He He buil uilt a lo log cabin cabin a few few hu hundre red y ards ds sout outh of of Duck Duck La Lake ke and in in 1870 1870 took ook tit itle le, signed igned by by Pr Presid esident Ulys ysses es S. Gra rant, to to 154 154 Plot ot Map 1877 acres cres of of propert roperty sout outh of of Du Duck ck La Lake ke chann channel el and enc encom ompassing ing ov over er on one mile of of Lake ke Michiga higan shorel reline. David Pequet Presentation 8-18-16
He He bui built a resp spect ctab able far arm tha that in includ cluded severa ral acr acres of of ra raspb spberri rries and and fruit ruit tr trees and and also also a roo roofin ing shingl shingle mill. Each ach sum summer his produc hi produce end nded up up in in Ch Chica icago go mar arkets via via Goo Goodrich rich Boa Boat Co Co. tha that dock ocked at at Michi ichillin inda Beach Lodge ge a half mile north th of of Duck Lake. David Pequet Presentation 8-18-16
Sn Snyde der r B Boys oys Circa rca 1912 912 Corne rner r Scen enic ic & Duck ck Lake ke Rd 6171 Duck uck Lake ke Rd David Pequet Presentation 8-18-16
F W Beers ers 1877 Muskego kegon n County nty Atlas as India ian Trail il to Whiteh ehall ll Future ure Duck ck lake ke Roa oad Source: Dan Yates Collection David Pequet Presentation 8-18-16
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