Powers
Old Milton Kell Hardware store
Powers was founded in 1872 and named after Tom Powers, an engineer for the Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad, who invested money in land which was sold to the Chigago & NorthWestern and Daniel Brinn.
Due to the building of the railroad in 1873, the population increased rapidly. Powers was a very important railroad junction for shipments of iron are and forest products.
In 1914, Powers was destroyed by fire and has never attained its former size. It once was a prospering village containing a millinery shop, an opera house, a law office, a funeral home, a dentist and a doctor.
Pinecrest Medical Facility
In 1915, Powers became an incorporated village.
Pinecrest Sanatorium was built in 1921-24, for the treatment of tubercular patients. It now is a medical care facility and cares for senior citizens.
At present, the village of Powers has a population of approximately 411 people.
Spalding
Spalding was settled in 1871, the year much work was done to get ready to lay the new railroad. It was named after Jesse Spalding, president of the Spalding Lumber Co., who purchased much land in the Spalding Township area.
The oldest iron bridge in Michigan
In 1873, a large lumbering mill was set up. During the time the mill was running, they employed from 200 to 400 men. There were eight camps along the Cedar river, each camp employing from fifty to seventy-five men.
In May 1889, a fire swept along the south side of the Community and almost all of the buildings were destroyed. The first railroad, “The North Western” was started in 1871 and completed in 1873. A spur was also built for the 500 Line railroad to ship lumber.
The first school was built in the year 1874. In 1882, there was a need for a larger school and one was built. In 1903¬04, a new school was built which was used until the latter part of the 1940’s, when the initial part of the present school building was completed.
The old school bell from Powers Spalding High School
The first Catholic church was built in Spalding in 1881 and was replaced by the present church in 1902.
Spalding has never been incorporated, but the settled community had a population of about 300 people in 1940.