Feb. 6, 2012 - About 156 years ago....

Trinity Episcopal Church (1854-present).

-- The Trinity Episcopal Church of Bay City, was among the earliest religious groups. Its first church building was erected in 1860, and five years had to doubled its size to hand 65 families. In a few years exanded the building was again to accommodate 350, until 1887 when its present church building was built.
-- Heritage Library / {View} -- The Westover block was Bay City's first four story structure. The building which cost $65,000 was owned William Westover. The third floor had an opera house, which was considered the best outside of Detroit. The main level was mainly for stores, and the other two levels were business offices. Like so many buildings of that time period was, its demise was caused by fire.
-- Heritage Library / View -- It was around this time period that lumbering was taking off in Michigan in a big way, drawing investors and workers from the east. Bay County had 30 mills in operation, the most being in the Bay City area. Each of the mills listed includes a brief history.
-- Heritage Library / View -- Bay County had been in existence only one year when they established a poor farm for the needy citizens of the county. The first superintendents of the poor were E.N. Bradford, Israel Catlin and Jule B. Hart. The poor farm was located in Hampton Township, where the Bay County Golf Course now exists. Besides a large structure for housing the poor and a large garden, it also had a small graveyard.
-- Heritage Library / View -- Thomas L. Handy was prominent business man in Bay City, being in the railroad, coal and manufacturing businesses. His operations extended beyond Bay County as well. The former Handy High School was named in his honor. His history page includes a 1901 family wedding picture of the Handy and Chesbrough clan.
-- Heritage Library / View -- Mr. Bigelow who was born near Detrioit was partner with David M. Kneeland in the lumber business in Bay City. The Kneeland-Bigelow Co. was organized in 1901 and was among the last to close in Bay City. Charles was active in the Michigan Hardwood Lumber Manufacturers Association, of which served as president for a number of years.
-- Heritage Library / View