Saginaw County Timeline by

1600s (M.S)

msteel18 — 2023-11-01 14:14:16 UTC

In the 1600s, the Chippewa and Ottawa nations took over Saugenah Valley and settled in the Sauk villages.

1000 B.C - 1000 A.D (M.F)

mferris7_ — 2023-11-01 14:15:02 UTC

Inhabited since this time by Native Americans.

1816 (M.S)

msteel18 — 2023-11-01 14:15:11 UTC

Louis Campau, a French Canadian voyaguer, came and established the first trading post on the Saugenah River.

March 2, 1831 (M.S)

msteel18 — 2023-11-01 14:16:47 UTC

Saginaw Township was organized on March 2, 1831.

1945 (E.P)

epappas21 — 2023-11-01 14:17:09 UTC

James Hoy Letter during WWII To his wife, Saginaw, Mich., from Bebra, Germany, July 31, 1945. Comments were written on occupation duty in Germany. Part of a collection of letters written by servicemen during the war to friends and relatives throughout the United States. Ted Malone appealed to listeners of his radio program on behalf of the Western Historical Manuscript Collection to donate letters they had received during World War II.

1841 (M.F)

mferris7_ — 2023-11-01 14:17:31 UTC

First road to Saginaw was completed.

1812 (M.F)

mferris7_ — 2023-11-01 14:20:45 UTC

War of 1812. The Chippewas, who were the Native Americans that inhabited this area were sided with the British and were hostile to American settlers.

1899 (A.K)

akostrz1_ — 2023-11-01 14:20:53 UTC

In 1899, new industries were rising. Some of these industries were a Sugar Beet Factory and over ten coal mines. This was after the lumber era came to a close.

1855 (E.P)

epappas21 — 2023-11-01 14:21:21 UTC

The Saginaw, Black River, and Swan Creek Chippewa Treaties were founded. The Saginaw, Swan Creek, and Black River Chippewas were victims of the unforeseen economic crisis in 1837, and soon thereafter worked with the Indian office to facilitate land sales according to earlier treaties. As Indian policy shifted away from removal in the early 1840s and 1850s, they acted to construct deals with the federal government that would allow them to remain in Michigan on their own terms.

1830 (E.P)

epappas21 — 2023-11-01 14:23:41 UTC

Map of the City of Saginaw in the 1830's. Saginaw Began to increase in population. Between 1830 and 1840, Saginaw increased in population by 175,000 people.

1819 (M.F)

mferris7_ — 2023-11-01 14:26:00 UTC

Saginaw Treaty of 1819. Reservation land was promised to the Natives who did not want to give up the land of Saginaw to the federal government.

1763 (E.P)

epappas21 — 2023-11-01 14:26:22 UTC

The French missionaries reached the area of Saginaw in the 17th century. The French then controlled the territory consisting of the present-day state of Michigan until it was ceded to the British following the Seven Years' War in 1763.

1882 (A.K)

akostrz1_ — 2023-11-01 14:28:16 UTC

In 1882, Saginaw Country was at it highest point of their lumber era. Along the Saginaw River, 1,001, 274, 905 feet of timber was cut down. Years following Saginaw's peak, many people went on strike to advocate for better workdays. During this time, salt production grew immensely, along with the county's population. Eventually, lumber started to decrease.

1940( E.P)

epappas21 — 2023-11-01 14:29:23 UTC

This was called the General Motors Gun Plant in Saginaw. This was a huge manufacturer, especially for WWII. Steering Gear Plant 2 was named the GM Gun Plant unofficially by the workers and engineers who helped oversee its construction and production of the machine guns from 1940 until 1945. The Gun Plant was an important member of the United States War effort during WWII. This plant was responsible for the manufacturing of the Browning 1919 machine guns and later M1 Carbine semi-automatic rifles.

1884 (M.S)

msteel18 — 2023-11-01 14:30:32 UTC

The Saginaw County population in 1850 was 2,609. 34 years later, after the timber boom, the 1884 census recorded at 75,813.

1840 - 1860 (M.F)

mferris7_ — 2023-11-01 14:31:09 UTC

Saginaw County was the leading lumbering area in Michigan during this time

1907-1909 Rainier Motor Car Co. (M.S)

msteel18 — 2023-11-01 14:34:49 UTC

John T. Rainier started the Rainier Motor Car Co. in Flushing, NY but was persuaded by Saginaw businessman E. A. Robertson and lumberman Arthur Eddy to move to Saginaw in 1907. They gave him the old Mershon-Schutte-Parker lumber mill on 6th and Washington and $100,000. The Rainer cars were expensive for the time and its luxury model the Landaulet sold for $5800 and the company closed in 1909.

1890s (M.F)

mferris7_ — 2023-11-01 14:38:12 UTC

By this time Saginaw's lumber had been depleted, causing a loss of jobs for the population of this area. During this time resources were being put into creating new jobs. Companies were relocating to Saginaw because of the surplus of workers. For a brief period of time Saginaw made a significant amount of pianos. Although piano manufacturing was never a dominant industry for Saginaw, it provided a transition period from lumbering to the automobile industry.

1845 (A.K.)

akostrz1_ — 2023-11-01 14:40:19 UTC

In 1845, Frankenmuth settled. The German word “Franken” represents the Province of Franconia in the Kingdom of Bavaria, and the German word “Muth” means courage, thus the city name Frankenmuth means “courage of the Franconians”. The purpose of settling here was due to religious ideas. It was to be an exclusively German Lutheran community.

1836 (A.K.)

akostrz1_ — 2023-11-01 14:46:12 UTC

In 1836, the city of Saginaw was founded by Norman Little. At this time, the population was 400 people, but grew to 900 because of German immigrants settling here.

1950 (A.K.)

akostrz1_ — 2023-11-01 14:54:13 UTC

In the 1950s, I-75 was built. This made traveling to Saginaw and Frankenmuth easier. Along the Cass River, a dike was built that helped with flooding and made expanding the surrounding areas easier as well.