Historical Vignettes
By Margaret Baker
(The original hand-written manuscript appears to have been written as a school project circa 1914 and was donated to the Historical Society by her sister, Lula.)
Margaret was the daughter of George Baker of Alabaster and attended the
Alabaster School. Margaret became a school teacher and taught in Detroit She
married Arthur Povish and they returned to Iosco County in the 50's and
operated a dairy farm on M-55 near the former County Farm.
Alabaster was first homesteaded by Jack Thompson. He came from the state of Maine and was a salt water sailor and fisherman. About the year 1860 he built a shanty in which he lived for awhile.
Two men by the name of Patrick were clearing roads from Bay City and that's the way they came to Alabaster. They searched for a Gypsum or plaster bed. They got Jack Thompson in his shanty entertaining in a lumberman fashion, (drinking whiskey) while one man went exploring and found a bed of plaster. Then the Patricks gave Jack Thompson a shotgun, two quarts of whiskey, and a dog for all the land.
The Patricks then sold the land to George B. and B. F. Smith of Detroit for Twenty thousand dollars. In 1860 the Smiths then built a saw mill, dock, store and dwelling houses. The first store was a one story , flat leaky roof building. They bought some red houses from Oscoda and they have seven of them at the present time. (These had been lumberjack housing and were brought across the ice to the site.)
Then afterwards they built some more houses. The hotel they had then was in a tent. The building material supplies were brought from Detroit by a scow sailing vessel by the name of Sunshine. Mr. John White came on this vessel with a pair of oxen and two cows. There was no dock then so Mr. White put the oxen and cows in the water and let them swim to shore, and he made a raft so he could get to shore.
The United States mail was brought from Bay City or lower Saginaw by Indians with dogs and sleds in the winter and by sail boat in the summer. It was as old Ben Smith, said, "The mail bags soaked with water, and the carriers soaked with whiskey".
In 1863 and '64 the company had a little snorting side wheel steamer that
ran between Tawas and Alabaster and to Bay City. The first steam boat that
ever ran on that route was in 1864. She went on the beach at the mouth of
the Saginaw River and believed it was wrecked.
The first mill was built by Smith and it was much larger than it is now, but
the works inside were not so large. They had a trademark on the bags at that
time of a dog. A dog was standing on a barrel with a sack of plaster in his
mouth. The man who owned the dog was from Chicago. The dog looked so pretty
that they had it for their trademark. They have the dog on some of the bags
yet, but you very seldom find one. The trademark they have on the bags now
is "U. S. Gypsum Co.".
The cooper shop was by the mill then and they had a stave mill where they made staves for barrels, and they made the barrels in the cooper shop. When the mill burnt the cooper shop burned also and they built another cooper shop where it is at the present, time. They had a warehouse on the dock where they took on the plaster. They carried this plaster on little flat cars. The flat cars ran on a track which they had running to this warehouse.
April 16,1866, Alabaster was practically swept by fire, the plaster became
too hot upstairs in the mill and caused it to burn. They then built the
second mill and it burnt down some time ago. The mill they have now is the
third mill built in Alabaster.
In the quarry they scraped the dirt off the rock with shovels and hauled it
to a log cabin located where the company's barn is.
They made another room to the school in 1911. They raised the whole roof. Now we have four rooms.
In 1899 the track was made from Alabaster to Tawas.
The Presbyterian Church was built in 1902.
In 1910 they built the Catholic Church and the town hall was started in 1911 but is finished now.
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The tramway of the U. S. Gypsum Company at Alabaster has long been a tourist
attraction. Built in 1928 the tramway stretches 1.3 miles out into Saginaw
Bay. Like a horizontal ski-lift, the cable system carries 72 "buckets" of
gypsum to a waiting ship or to the storage bin. Each bucket holds more than
two tons. The tramway includes 6,450 feet of one and three-quarter inch
steel cable and 14,000 feet of three-quarter inch cable. At a length of
6,350 feet it is the longest over-water bucket tramway in the world.
The manufacturer of the tramway went out of business years ago and the Gypsum Co. has had to devise its own repairs for years. In the current year 2001, the tramway is broken and not operating. It is doubtful if it will operate again.
Until 1898 when the railroad spur was installed, all shipments were made by sailing vessels that tied up to a 600 foot dock. Marine shipments were resumed in 1929 after the building of the tramway enabled the larger ships to load in deeper water at the end of the tramway. Rail shipments were then made when the boat season was closed.
Gypsum, the mineral with a thousand uses, is found in great abundance in Iosco County. It has contributed to the growth and economy of the area for more than one hundred years. The story of gypsum in Iosco County goes back to the 1840's when outcroppings were discovered along the shores of Saginaw Bay almost coincident to the birth of the County. Many millions of years ago Iosco County was part of an inland sea, or basin. Geologists believe the area passed through successive stages of sea and land. The presence of gypsum in relatively thick deposits confirms this theory. Partings of shale and limestone between the layers of gypsum indicate radical changes in conditions during the millions of years that passed while the deposit was being formed. The deposits of beds thirty to thirty five feet thick at Alabaster and National City would require the evaporation of a column of sea water 52,000 feet high.
Gypsum's suitability for economical mass production and its insulating qualities has made it indispensable to the building industry. Annual production of wallboard alone in the USA would pave a pathway five feet wide from the moon to the earth or build a wall 50 feet high around the 25,000 mile girth of the earth.
Did you know gypsum is used as a base for toothpaste? It forms the molds for bathroom fixtures, table china and other ceramic products. It is the head of a match and classroom chalk and the mannequin in store displays. The dentist fashions bridgework out of gypsum and the doctor splints with gypsum orthopedic plaster. Gypsum rock from Alabaster was used to plaster buildings at the Columbian Exhibition of 1883. Alabaster gypsum is of unusually high purity. It is white with black markings but may come in pinkish tints unique here , or even with a blue cast. The famous King Tut was found to be encased in a gypsum cast. The Egyptians coated the pyramids with three coats of plaster and the temple of King Solomon was built from solid rocks of quarried gypsum.
It was not until 1862 that a quarry opened at Alabaster (biblical name far gypsum). In 1891 the company was organized at the Western Plaster Works and then became the Alabaster Company in 1898. In 1902 the company was acquired by the U. S. Gypsum Company, the continuing owners to the present day.
In the early days the mining work was highly labor intense. Railcars were loaded with hand forks compared to later day use of giant 600 ton Marion draglines which take a 16 ton "bite" of earth at a scoop. The gypsum deposit is extensive and is known to extend far out in the water and some miles inland. The Alabaster operation is the largest gypsum quarry in the United States.
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From a Historical Sketch of Oscoda and AuSable written by Henry R Solomon for the Home Coming Edition of THE PRESS July 29-Aug 4 1906.
The first settlement made in the county was at the mouth of the AuSable river in 1849, to which the valuable fisheries attracted attention at a very early date. Some time previous to 1848 Curtis Emerson of East Saginaw and James Eldridge located the land at the mouth of the river on both sides. Benjamin F. Pierce had a trading station which formed the landmark from which Emerson and Eldridge in March 1849 set off and divided the lots fronting on the river to resident fishermen and others. These lots had from 50 to 150 frontage and ran back at right angles to the river to the back line of the government subdivision. The white fish and trout fisheries at the mouth of the river constituted the main business of the town for many years. The capture of these required a large fleet of sail craft and the curing and packing gave employment to many coopers and other hands.
Life had but few variations, although the population was a floating one. It would be difficult to give the names of all those who, at one time or another, visited these shores in quest of fishing, either as a means of healthy recreation or to earn a livelihood. The fishing grounds were widely know and were sought by scores of men.
In the early days mail transportation was effected by sleds drawn by dogs in charge of an Indian in the winter and by fish boat in the summer. The first stage was established in 1871 between Standish and Alpena by J. F. Wiley; in 1872 Nelson Green purchased the route, made material changes for the benefit of his patrons and operated it until the railroad made its appearance in 1883.(see stage coach replica at Iosco Co. museum Bldg. 2) The post office was established in AuSable in 1857, the few letters that were addressed to the residents here previous to that time having been brought from Tawas and Bay City. The first postmaster was Elijah Grandy, a fisherman who kept the office in a small log house where the O'Toole block once stood. He served a few years when A. Terry was appointed and he was succeeded by George P. Warner, who was also engaged in fishing. Mr. Warner kept the office until 1866 when he was succeeded by Wm. O. Lee and in 1871 Mr. Warner was again appointed. In 1874 the post office was moved farther north and in 1876 the name was changed to Oscoda. This condition lasted only a year as the people of AuSable believed they were entitled to recognition and the office was re-established in 1877 with James Forest as postmaster. Miss Mae Duncan is the present encumbent. Mr. Warner continued to act as postmaster in Oscoda until 1877 when he was succeeded by Henry C. King, R. B. Emmons in turn George D. McKay, Charles Pierce and Wm. McGillivary
In 1857 the township of Sable was organized, but was; changed to AuSable by an act of the legislature. Incorporated as a village in 1872, Nelson Lipsscomb was the first president. It was incorporated as a city in 1889 with Henry Martin Loud as its first mayor. Oscoda Township was incorporated in 1869 and incorporated as a village in 1883. C. V. Hicks was the first president and Edwin Ely the current president.
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HISTORY OF U. S. COAST GUARD STATION
FROM THE MUSEUM ARCHIVES
(written while new station was being constructed)
Station Tawas is located 3
miles NE of US 23 on Lakeview Dr. on 2.3 acres. Station was built in 1876
and expanded in 1936. It has been modified several times since it was first
built. The over-water boathouse was built in 1939, and was equipped with
manual hoist capable of housing a 44 foot motor life boat (MLB) and is 1/2
Mile from the station on 5.9 acres of Coast Guard property. This boathouse
is the fourth boathouse. The original boathouse was located at the main
building and is the recreation area (Rec Deck) today. The second was the
shops at the station and the third was on the bay side. It was built in 1910 and
was replaced by the current structure in 1919. The station is the oldest in the
District, and the only surviving example of the first series of life saving
stations on the Great Lakes.
The station area of responsibility includes 3611 square miles, the largest area assigned to any single station in the district. The station is busy with 140-160 cases annually from 15 May to 15 Sept. The boats assigned to the station are a 44 foot motor lifeboat, a 22 foot utility boat, and a 14 foot ice skiff. The crew at present consists of 17 men and women with a Boatswain Mate Chief (E-7) as officer in charge.
Station Tawas was first called Ottawa Point. The name was changed on July 1, 1902. The station was also nicknamed Near Light Lake Huron. The first keeper of the station was George Haskin and the latest keeper is BMC Robert H. Moore. The new station is being built on 5.9 acres which property is located by the present boat house. The new station will be a modern flat century station. This will cut down on the response time to get to the boat, warm the boat and getting it underway. The new station will be able to take care of many missions including but not limited to Law Enforcement, Marine Safety Support and Search and Rescue, making it a true multi-mission station.
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(Excerpted from The House on Washington Street
by Marvin A. Ropert- published 9/3/2001)
The first people to live in this part of Michigan were the Chippewa Indians 500 years ago. A small group of this Native American tribe split off from their main group and made this area home. This idyllic life was due to the abundant wildlife in the pine and hardwood forests, and the fish was plentiful in the rivers and lakes. The tribe easily maintained a large stock of dried fish for food and trade. This would have been a peaceful life if it weren't for the Iroquois tribe who often made raids into this part of the Great Lakes.
I believe dad and George found arrowheads in an area near the south end of Tawas Lake. Dad also told me that on the other side of Tawas Lake there is an indian burial mound. He never told me where, he did not think anyone should disturb the graves.
One of the first European explorers in this area was the French explorer, Jean Nicolet, in 1629. Later the famous French explorer LaSalle is said to have visited this area in 1679.
The government purchased all but 8,000 acres of Iosco county from the Chippewa tribe with the Treaty of Saginaw in 1819. This was located near the mouth of the AuSable River and was kept by the tribe for hunting and fishing. This acreage was later purchased and the Indian settlement moved north near the county line, where it remains today.
The first permanent European settlement in the county were fishermen who located, in 1848, at the mouth of the Au Sable River to harvest the abundant resources of Lake Huron and the Saginaw Bay. The only means of reaching this area was by ship. Most of the fish were shipped to Boston, New York and Chicago.
The State of Michigan established the Iosco County in 1857. Four years after the first permanent structure, the lighthouse was completed. The name given to the county was Kanotin county. Kanotin means "in path of the big winds'. Henry Schoolcraft later renamed the county Iosco, which means "Water of Light".
The Tawas Point has been extending itself out into the open water of Saginaw Bay at a rapid pace. By 1870 the original lighthouse was of little use for mariners. In 1875 work was begun on a new lighthouse which was placed on the end of the point, nearly 3/4 mile farther southeast from the original lighthouse. This 68 foot tall structure was completed in 1876 and is still in use today and is now 1/2 mile from the new end of Tawas Point.
Dad told me once that when he was young there was a stream that crossed the Tawas Point. Today you would have a hard time finding where it crossed.
In the late 1860s lumbering became the second major industry in the area. With a limited supply of trees in the prairie states, the need for wood was huge and the Michigan forest provided it. Lumber cut near the Au Sable River was floated out to Lake Huron and then shipped at first by boat and then in 1867, by rail when the Detroit and Mackinaw Railroad put a station in East Tawas.
A second larger town was established in 1867 just east of Tawas City along Tawas Bay at a mill site. Since the workers from Tawas City had referred to this site as "going East", it was named East Tawas.
Twenty years after the railroad opened a station, East Tawas incorporated as
a village, then as a city in 1895. In 1922, it acquired the adjacent resort
community of Tawas Beach.
Every winter, Tawas Bay was harvested for its ice. The ice not only served
the people of the area but huge quantities were shipped to Chicago and
Detroit. At peak production, Tawas Bay produced enough ice to fill and ship
100 railroad cars a day.
The Tawas Area has seen many changes in the 500 years that man has lived and worked here. The 1500s saw the Native Americans trading dried fish. Then came the Europeans who supplied the country with fresh water fish from the waters of Tawas Bay and Lake Huron. Next came the lumber barons who cut most of the pine and hardwood trees from our forests. Lastly came the summer residents and tourists. This group takes less of our natural resources and today is the main source of employment in the area.
The last 75 years saw much of the forest replanted and the woods are again teeming with wild life. Local waters provide an abundance of fish for sport fishing. The Au Sable River has 5 dams generating clean electric power and the deer still come in the yard at 'The House on Washington Street'.
Changes have come to the Tawas'. The Holland Hotel, Community building, the East Tawas and the old St. Joseph Schools buildings are gone. Every community needs to change; just as kids need to grow, so do communities. Change brings new life with hopes that it preserves and maintains as much of its natural beauty as possible.