Jackson Michigan News and Information, News for Jackson MI

: Frank Passic; Albion Historical Notebook; 14 July 2023; Hits: 765

ALBION ORPHAN TRAIN YOUTH FEATURED IN NEW STATUE

If you’re out-and-about traveling across the country this summer, you might want to visit the National Orphan Train Complex at 300 Washington St. in Concordia, Kansas, located 125 miles north of Wichita along U.S. 81. A statue of two of Albion’s 1857 arriving “Orphan Train” boys, George (1849-1921) and Joseph (1850-1931) Timmons was unveiled there on June 2 in their memory.

: Frank Passic; Albion Historical Notebook; 07 July 2023; Hits: 186

ALBION 100 YEARS AGO—JULY, 1923

We continue with our theme of “Albion, 100 Years Ago.” A reminder: The dates given here are the dates that the topic was published in the Albion Evening Recorder and not necessarily the date that the event happened. July 3, 1923: “Springport, MI. John Banister, a prominent farmer, was killed by lightning at his farm near here Monday afternoon. Mr. Bannister was cutting hay in a field when the storm came up.

: Frank Passic; Albion Historical Notebook; 30 June 2023; Hits: 171

1925 JULY 4 CELEBRATION IN ALBION

It is great that Albion has its own fireworks each year, thanks to the donations of our area citizens, and the leadership of the Greater Albion Chamber of Commerce. This is not a new phenomenon, however. In the 1920s when the Chamber was in its infancy, they organized community celebrations too.

: Frank Passic; Albion Historical Notebook; 24 June 2023; Hits: 237

HAVEN ROAD BRIDGE

I was sorry to learn that the recently closed Albion Road bridge in Concord Township will take three to five years to replace due to a lack of funds. That bridge is located on the main throughfare between Albion and Concord and is heavily used.

: Frank Passic; Albion Historical Notebook; 16 June 2023; Hits: 245

J. W. BRANT COMPANY BOTTLE

Occasionally I like to feature an Albion collectible item in my column. I recently acquired a patent medicine bottle from the J. W. Brant Company of Albion, a late 19th and early 20th century patent medicine manufacturer. The J.W. Brant Company was located at 214 E. Mulberry St., on the southwest corner of Monroe and Mulberry for over fifty years. The firm had come to Albion from Hillsdale in the late 1880s, and was incorporated in 1889.

: Frank Passic; Albion Historical Notebook; 09 June 2023; Hits: 313

ALBION 100 YEARS AGO—JUNE 1923

We continue with our theme of “Albion—100 Years Ago.” June 5, 1923. “The tar from the local gas plant placed recently on Irwin Avenue from Dalrymple St. to the residence of John Finley, and on W. Erie St. westward from the end of the pavement, is making a good hard roadway and keeping down the dust

: Frank Passic; Albion Historical Notebook; 02 June 2023; Hits: 279

ALBION HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1923

Each year at this time we feature the Albion High School class of 100 years ago. The Class of 1923 was the first to use the new high school wing addition to the Central School complex.

: Frank Passic; Albion Historical Notebook; 25 May 2023; Hits: 277

G.A.R. CANNON A LANDMARK FOR MANY YEARS

The site of today’s “Molder Statue Park” on the southwest corner of N. Superior St. and Michigan Avenue used to be the site of Cannon Park, where a Civil War cannon was displayed from 1896 until 1961.

: Frank Passic; Albion Historical Notebook; 19 May 2023; Hits: 251

SOLOMON PORTER BROCKWAY

Each year at this time we feature one of Albion’s Civil War veterans. Solomon Porter Brockway (1837-1924) was the son of Rev. William Hadley Brockway (1813-1891), one of Albion’s prominent 19th century citizens.

: Frank Passic; Albion Historical Notebook; 12 May 2023; Hits: 430

SHELDON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IS 100 YEARS OLD

It’s been over twenty years now since Albion had a hospital of its own, as Trillium Hospital closed on February 5, 2002. For many years however, it was the Sheldon Memorial Hospital that reigned as the premiere place for hospital health care in town.

: Frank Passic; Albion Historical Notebook; 28 April 2023; Hits: 217

ALBION 100 YEARS AGO—MAY 1923

We continue with our theme of “Albion, 100 Years Ago.” May 1, 1923: “Thirty years ago tomorrow on May 2, 1893, the Commercial & Savings Bank of this city received its charter from the State banking department.”

: Frank Passic; Albion Historical Notebook; 21 April 2023; Hits: 270

THE DOG WARDEN

How would you like to become the town’s Dog Warden? No, that’s not an elected position for some demoted politician. Rather, it’s just a fancy way of saying “dog catcher.” Albion once had a Dog Warden that took care of canine problems in our community during the 1960s.